MINISTERIAL LIST: Senate screens Fayemi, Onu, Dambazzau, Usman Jibril, Ogbeh, Udoma, 4 others

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62604

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

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MINISTERIAL LIST: Senate screens Fayemi, Onu, Dambazzau, Usman Jibril, Ogbeh, Udoma, 4 others •What we'll do if appointed — Nominees •Presidency happy with Saraki's handling of screening •Lai Mohammed's 13 bows cause stir

See story on Page 5

40 robbers raid, loot 2 banks in Lagos — PAGE 6

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POCKET CARTOON

Senate screens Fayemi, Dambazzau, Usman Jibril, Ogbeh, Onu, Udoma, 4 others

By Soni Daniel, Henry Umoru &Joseph Erunke

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BUJA —THE Senate, yesterday, screened 10 of President Muhammadu Buhari’s 37 ministerial nominees in an exercise that was both colourful and dramatic. The exercise also raised the issue of thoroughness as some of the nominees were hardly grilled as expected.

The exercise, which started after Senate President Bukola Saraki read out the names of the 16 nominees on the second ministerial list, which President Buhari sent to the Senate on Monday was an opportunity for the nominees to clear their names over some allegations as well as disclose what they would do if appointed.

Those screened yesterday Nominees screened yesterday were Senator Udoma Udo Udoma; Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Chief Audu Ogbeh; Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Lt.Gen. Abduulrahman Dambazzau; Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Amina Ibrahim Mohammed; Engr. Suleiman Hussaini Adamu and Ibrahim Usman Jibril.

The new nominees

The 16-man list comprised Khadijah

Bukar Abba-Ibrahim; Claudius Omoleye Daramola (Ondo State) Professor Anthony Anwuka, (Imo State), Geoffrey Onyema, Brig.

Gen. Mansur M. Dan Ali (Rtd), Zamfara State and Barrister James E. Ocholi, Kogi State.

Others are Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed; Okechukwu Enelemah; Muhammadu Bello; Mustapha Baba Shehuri; Miss Aisha Abubakar; Heneiken Lokpobiri; Adamu Adamu; Professor Isaac Adewole (Osun State), Pastor Usani Usani Uguru and Abubakar Bwari Bawa.

President Buhari in the letter dated 12 October, 2015, read: “In accordance with Section 147(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, I have the honour to forward herewith the final list of ministerial nominees for Senate confirmation.

Before the screening began, there was tension in the National Assembly given the heavy presence of policemen and other security agencies who carried out thorough check on people entering into the complex.

Impromptu closed door meeting

Barely 12 minutes into yesterday ’s plenary session, the Senate immediately went into a closed door session.

Senate president Saraki came into the chambers with other principal officers at 10.19am. For over five minutes, the

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO PREGNANT woman is never intimidated by the baby of another woman, so take your eyes off what other people have and focus on what you have been given. You are a gift to humanity, so don’t rob us of your uniqueness and potentials. It's up to you.

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TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Someone will always be prettier. Someone will always be smarter. Someone will always be younger.

But they’ll never be you — Take Heart Quotes

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O matter what you do, you can pretty much always find someone else in the world that has more than you or better than you at something.

Yes, you may feel good for a while when you get a nicer car than your neighbour. But a week or two later, you’ll see someone from the next block with an even finer car. Instead of comparing yourself to other people, create the habit of comparing yourself to you. See how much you have grown, what you have achieved and what progress you have made towards your goals.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

A

WOMAN whose children die often, always pinches those alive while they are asleep.

Senate President tried to make the senators who were exchanging pleasantries to settle down for business.

A motion was moved by Senator Abdulrahaman Abubakar, Kogi East to adopt the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday, October 8, 2015 and supported by Senator Rose Okon, Cross River

North.

Soon after the adoption of the motion, Senate President Saraki at 10.32 announced that Senators were going into an Executive Session.

Vanguard gathered that the closed door session was to enable the senators give the nominees soft landing.

But contrary to

THOSE SCREENED 1. Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma(A-Ibom) 2. Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) 3. Chief Audu Ogbeh (Benue) 4. Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi) 5. Dr. Osagie Ehanire (Edo) 6. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau(Kano) 7. Alhaji Lai Mohammed(Kwara) 8. Amina Ibrahim Mohammed(Gombe) 9. Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu (Jigawa) 10. Ibrahim Usman Jibril(Nasarawa)

AWAITING SCREENING 1. Chris Ngige – (Anambra) 2. Rotimi Amaechi – (Rivers) 3. Babatunde Fashola -(Lagos) 4. Aisha Alhassan – (Taraba) 5. Kemi Adeosun - (Ogun) 6. Abubakar Malami - (Kebbi) 7. Sen Hadi Sirika – (Katsina) 8. Barr. Adebayo Shittu - (Oyo) 9. Solomon Dalong - (Plateau) 10. Ibe Kachikwu - (Delta) 11. Ahmed Isa Ibeto - (Niger) 12. Hajia Khadija Bukar Ibrahim- (Yobe) 13. Cladius Omoleye Daramola (Ondo) 14. Prof Anthony Onwuka (Imo) 15. Geoffrey Onyema (Enugu) 16. Dan Ali (Zamfara) 17. Barr James Ocholi (Kogi) 18. Zainab Ahmed (Kaduna) 19. Okechukwu Enelamah (Abia) 20. Muhammadu Bello (Adamawa) 21. Mustapha Baba Shehuri (Bornu) 22. Aisha Abubakar 23. Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa) 24. Adamu Adamu (Bauchi) 25. Isaac Adewole (Osun) 26. Abubakar Bawa 27. Pastor Usani Uguru (Cross River)

expectations of many Nigerians, the atmosphere in the Senate was calm, just as the division expected during the screening was managed in the closed door session.

The Senate could not screen former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi yesterday.

The screening of the former Director General of Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation was deferred to Wednesday as the Samuel Anyanwu’s report will be ready today.

The screening which started at 11.45am ended at 5.15pm.

We must review our Tax system – Udoma

Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, who was the first to be screened was asked two questions and in reply spoke on the need for Nigeria to review her tax system if Nigeria must get it right.

He said: “We have to look at the various policies for manufacturing. They have to be consistent because that is what investors want. To increase the investment rate from its current 20 to 30 per cent, we have to look at the issue of enabling environment, review our tax policies and I am ready to help redesign it being a child of the private sector.”

I challenge anyone to bring an invoice of a N50m bed — Fayemi

Called up for the exercise and grilled especially over his stint as governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi

COLUMNISTS:

I am tired of playing second fiddle to his ex!

•P.34

Colonial mentality •P.17

How new yam festival tragedy left 15 persons dead See Inside

challenged anyone to produce an invoice of 50 million naira bed he was accused of buying in the state house during his tenure.”I challenge anyone to bring an invoice of a bed in the state house that is worth N50m. I did not spend irresponsibly on it. It is probably one of the cheapest state houses in Nigeria. I used my relationship to raise a lot of funds with institutions like the World bank, DFID etc. There is no country that does not borrow. I did not borrow to pay salaries.”

On national issues, he said that national educational system should be reviewed and made attractive for the citizen, adding that the nation’s domestic agenda does not drive the country ’s foreign policy.

According to him, there was much gap between the rich and the poor, adding, “there is too much concentration of power at the centre.

Therefore, there is need for devolution of power in Nigeria.

“Corruption must be tackled headlong. The amount of leakages in our revenues is unacceptable, and must be promptly addressed.

We have to reduce our recurrent expenditures and increase our capital expenditures in this country, otherwise we won’t be able to develop meaningfully. We have to diversify our economy, Continues on Page 46 See pics of nominees on page 16

Mr & Mrs

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

By Emma Nnadozie, Crime Editor, Evelyn Usman, Lateef Ligali & Lucky Nwanekwuru

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AGOS—NO fewer than forty heavily armed robbers, yesterday morning, invaded two second generation banks in 4th Avenue, Festac area of Lagos state and carted away huge sums of money. During the operation which lasted hours, a two-yearold toddler, Mmesoma Ndirika, and her mother, Jane, who were inside their apartment in an adjoining building, were reportedly hit by stray bullets from the bandits who were shooting sporadically in all directions.

Reports said both mother and child later died as a result of injuries they sustained from the bullet. A commercial motorcyclist who was also hit by stray bullets reportedly died later in an undisclosed private hospital.

It took the Police more than one and half hours to respond.

Recoveries by the Police

However, police authorities said they were able to recover about N27 million and other rounds of arms and ammunition abandoned by the bandits while fleeing from the scene. They could not give specific figure of casualties.

How they struck

Reports said the bandits who were dressed in military camouflage uniforms, attacked the banks after alighting from boats at a nearby canal. They reportedly used dynamite to destroy the security entrance gates after which they gained entry into the banks. Eyewitness account said as soon as the dynamites exploded, the heavily armed bandits started firing bullets in all directions inside the first bank they entered.

Eyewitness

According to the witnesses, while some of them were inside one of the banks, another group broke into another nearby bank, while others took positions in front of the area, at the same time shooting indiscriminately.

A commercial motorcyclist, popularly called Okada, who was close-by, was hit by bullets and he was said to have collapsed later after fleeing from the scene.

Another witness who was also inside one of the banks, told Vanguard: “After the dynamite exploded, the bandits, who were dressed in army camouflage, invaded the banks threatening to kill anybody who attempted to confront them. They broke into all the rooms inside the bank and dragged everybody into the main banking hall. While doing that, they were at the same time brutalising customers and hitting others with the butts of their guns.

They broke into the bank’s vault easily and carted huge sums of money away. ATMs were not spared as they also looted all the money in the machine. They operated simultaneously in the two banks, after which they escaped through the same canal

Empty shell of bullet that killed mother and child.

Slain mother and child.

40 robbers raid, loot banks in Lagos Kill mother, child and motorcyclist, scores injured N27m recovered, huge sums of money carted away they entered the area. In fact, as they were fleeing from the scene, they forced some butchers in a nearby market to help them load their massive loot into the canoe before escaping.”

How mother and child died

Uju, one of the residents of Block 8, 4th Avenue, where the stray bullet hit mother and child, told Vanguard: “While the shooting was going on, every one laid on the floor in their respective apartments. I was with Jane in her parlour while her child was inside the room. Suddenly, the child started crying and the mother stood up to carry her. As she was coming to the sitting room with the baby, a stray bullet perforated the window, hit the baby in the chest and also got the mother on the left side of her shoulder. Immediately, she took the child back to the room and started shouting for help.

Nobody came to her rescue because people were running helter skelter for dear life.”

However, when the dust settled, a neighbour, identified as Irabor Sunday, reportedly rushed them to Mother and Child Hospital at the First Gate in Festac where they were confirmed dead. The baby was, thereafter, taken back to the house while her mother was rushed to Lord's Chosen Church where a prayer session was organised for her revival.

Vanguard gathered that at 3pm, her corpse was taken to Igando General Hospital mortuary where she worked as a nurse.

Conflicting reports

There were conflicting accounts of police response during the operation which created tension in Festac town. While some witnesses said policemen who claimed they came from Ikeja, Oshodi, RRS arrived almost one hour after the bandits had fled

from the scene, the police said they confronted the bandits and during a fierce battle that raged for several minutes, the robbers fled abandoning some of their loots and weapons. Witnesses also insisted that even the policemen that arrived after the incident were openly blaming their colleagues at Festac Division for not informing them about the attack on time. According to the witnesses, the huge crowd that gathered at the scene also booed the policemen for coming after the operation.

Police statement

Giving a vivid account of the incident, the Area Commander, Festac and former Force spokesman, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba said: “Today, the 13th of October, 2015, at about 8:25 am,

the command received information of sporadic shootings going on somewhere around 4th Avenue, Festac town, Lagos. The joint team of policemen at Area E headquarters, Festac Division, promptly responded to the crime and on arrival at the scene, the policemen engaged the gang of robbers numbering well over 40, all dressed in military camouflage and armed to the teeth in a gun battle.

“We engaged them in a fierce gun battle that lasted several minutes. Not withstanding the clear numerical disadvantage of the police at the beginning of this operation, the hot exchange of fire between the policemen and the robbers who incidentally, had divided themselves into two and were simultaneously robbing two banks, forced the robbers to immediately end their operations.

They, consequently, abandoned their operation and also abandoned the sum of N27 million. As they were fleeing, they left a total of 240 AK47 live ammunition, and left the scene with money stolen from the bank.

The money was later recovered by the policemen and taken to another branch of the robbed bank around 2nd Avenue, for deposit.

“The CP and other police stations around Ikeja were immediately informed of the operation but my men were sent earlier to see what was happening already. The CP, Fatai Owoseni, while regretting this incident, vowed to do everything humanly and operationally possible to make sure that the perpetrators of this crime are rounded up within the shortest possible time and brought to book.

"It should be noted that within the two banks, nobody died. One person sustained a minor injury in one of the banks and the person is adequately responding to treatment. On our part and that of the law enforcement agency, no injury, no death recorded. We heard about the two-year-old child and her mother who were hit by stray bullets. We are working on that. We are trying to liaise with the police to currently locate the girl and her mother and make sure that they are taken care of. A massive operation is currently going on and if there are other pieces of information that are not available now, we would make sure that we alert the press too.

“Preliminary information shows that they came in through the waterways and they equally exited through the waterways, because there is a canal very close to the area where therobberyoccurred.TheMarinePolice have been involved in tackling the activities of hoodlums in waterways and their operations spread from Badagry to Epe to Lagos Island, Oshodi to Ikorodu and every water side area. But, you must equally understand that if the waters are not deep enough, we would not carry out such operations."

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015—7

Slain Lekki FT Zone boss, Disu for burial today My husband was shot in the neck—Wife He had premonition of death—Brother-in-law 17 suspects remanded in prison custody

By Olasukanmi Akoni, Monsuru Olowoopejo, Onozure Dania, Esther Onyegbula & Ebere Aham

Late Tajudeen Disu.

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AGOS—TWENTY-four hours after the Managing Director of Lekki Free Trade Zone, LFTZ, Mr. Tajudeen Disu, was murdered at Lekki, scores of sympathisers thronged his home to pay condolence to the wife, Dr. Folashade Disu, his children and other members of the Eletu-Odibo royal family.

This came on a day Magistrate Folashade Botoku of an Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s Court sitting at Oyingbo remanded 17 suspects in prison custody over their alleged involvement in his killing.

Some villagers in neighbouring communities in Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos alleged that Monday’s protest at Okunraiye which led to Disu’s death, was instigated by some leaders of the community which became a ghost town yesterday.

Among the early visitors were Chief Remi Makanjuola, former board chairman of Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, Mrs. Derin Disu, former Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Central Business District, CBD, former Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Lagos State, Mrs. Olusola Oworu and the chairman, Lekki Free Zone Development Company, Otunba Olusegun Jawando and others.

Also at the home of the deceased were several imams from Surulere, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, and members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, who prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased.

The widow, Dr. Folashade Disu lamented that her husband was shot in the neck while pacifying residents of the community who, Vanguard gathered, had earlier in the day protested acquisition of their land by investors and Lagos State Government.

“While addressing the community representatives over the issue he was called to address, my husband was shut in his neck from behind,” she explained.

It was learned yesterday that the deceased who was in his late 60s, received a call from residents in the community who asked him to resolve an ongoing protest over the acquisition of the land for the EPZ project.

He had often mediated whenever the residents raised issue against the government and the investors.

While addressing the community representatives, he was reportedly shot from behind

ARRAIGNED: Suspected killers of the Managing Director of Lekki Free Trade Zone, Mr. Tajudeen Disu, during their arraignment in court, yesterday. They have since been remanded in prison custody. and it was gathered that the residents didn’t do the shooting but may have hired a killer to perpetrate the act.

Sources said the deceased was rushed to St. Nicolas Hospital on Lagos Island and was later transferred to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, where the bullet was removed.

He had premonition of death— Brother-in-law

The deceased’s in-law, Pastor Oluwabukunola Folayan, said: “When his death was announced, I was devastated. It is very painful that the death came the way it was. He was looking forward to celebrating his 70th birthday. It was like he had pre-empted his death.

“For sometime now, he had said that he may even die before his wife; as if he had seen it coming.

We cautioned him but who are we to decide for our Creator? He had been saying it for sometime now. Spiritually, most people often foresee their death but they may not be able to say it.

“It has become a recurrent decimal in the country. It indicates that our security needs to be improved upon. Not because it was Disu, it could be anyone tomorrow. They should investigate it and bring the perpetrators to book. He was just not an in-law but a brother to me.

He didn’t discriminate; he was a philanthropist.”

On the burial plans, Folayan said: “We should have buried him now because he is a Muslim but because it has become a state matter. So we have to wait until his corpse is released to us. But

the lying-in-state will be done today (yesterday). And hopefully, tomorrow, he would be buried.”

The Chairman of Lekki Free Zone Development Company, LFZDC, Otunba Olusegun Jawando, said of the development: “This situation is very tragic. It should not have happened. We have been working on this project for almost ten years. We never expected it; we reached accord with the community so we did not expect such a tragic event.

“We didn’t envisage that this will affect the project. We hope that the state government will move into the situation and try to resolve the issues.

“Mr. Disu was one of the most hardworking staff of this company.

He’s hardworking, honest and very diligent about this project and he has served his country and paid the supreme price in the line of work. We hope that his soul will rest in peace and that his memory will live on in this project.’’

Advising the Police, he said: “Just as the governor has assured, the government would fish out the perpetrators of this act and make sure that security is maintained in the zone. We hope that will be.”

lamented the death of late Tajudeen. They both midwifed the Lekki Free Trade Zone, LFTZ, in the last eight years.

Oworu, while signing the condolence register, said: “May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.”

We have lost a pillar in our family—Brother

Bashiru Disu, the younger brother to the late Tajudeen, described the deceased as the ‘breadwinner’ of the family, saying he catered for their needs. ‘’In fact, we have lost a pillar in our family. He (Tajudeen) was a very hard working and honest person. He was very interested in his work. He was very accommodating. He was a nice man. He is often concerned about people. He catered for the needs of his relatives. We never believed that he wouldn’t survive. But we were shocked that yesterday (Monday) was his last day on earth.

“They (killers) are criminals and are not fit to live among us (Nigerians). We don’t need such people in our society. They have brought shame to the country.

Their act may scare investors away from the country.”

We have lost a gem —Makanjuola, former LSSTF chairman Disu’s profile Chief Remi Makanjuola, former board chairman of Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, board, in an interview with Vanguard, described the late Disu as “a very good man. All he did was often for humanity. He considered others before himself.”

Former commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Lagos State, Mrs. Olusola Oworu,

Bashiru said: “He studied in United State of America, USA. Thereafter, he returned to the country and joined the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN; where he rose to the post of Deputy Director.

After leaving the apex bank, Tajudeen worked with African Development Bank, ADB. He returned to the country eight years ago to work on the LFZ.

Court remands 17 suspects over alleged murder of Lagos FTZ’s boss

Meanwhile, Magistrate Folashade Botoku of an EbuteMeta Magistrate’s Court sitting at Oyingbo yesterday remanded 17 suspects in prison custody over their alleged involvement in the killing of Disu.

The defendants are Jaiye Dele, 40; Alhaji Tajudeen Jegede, 68, Chief Kayode Raufu, 60; Saidi Akanni, 41; Raufu Agunreje 31, Sunday Bulus 30; Taiwo Oyelade, 21; and Abiola Ogunsanwo, 20.

Others include Stephen Okuriaye, 20; Taiwo Gafar, 38; Banji Agunrege, 37; Ahmed Gafar 25; Moses Okoro, 30, Talabi Onadri, 43; Ipaye Oriyomi 25; Yusuf Quadri, 23 and Tunde Yusuf, 27.

Late Disu was allegedly shot dead by the suspects during an uproar that occurred between the indigenes of Okunraye and the management of the Free Trade Zone on Monday.

The prosecution, led by Chief Superintendent of Police, Enoch Edobor, the head of Legal Department of CIID, Panti, informed the court of a remand request brought against the suspects pursuant to section 264(1)(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justices of Lagos State, 2011.

He, therefore, urged the court to remand the suspects in prison custody, pending the time the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, would issue an advice on the matter.

However, lawyers to the defendants, F. C. Morka, Ola Ogunbiyi and Enitinwa, urged the court to refuse the remand applications brought against their clients by the prosecution.

The trio argued that the court had no jurisdiction to grant the remand applications of the prosecution as it was not competent to try them and urged the court to dismiss the remand applications.

However, Magistrate Botoku dismissed the submissions of the defence counsel, saying what the prosecution filed before her court was a remand application, not a charge.

She consequently ordered that all the defendants be remanded in State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department’s custody, Panti, Yaba, for the first 30 days.

The matter has been adjourned till November 16.

Vanguard gathered yesterday that some villagers in neighbouring communities in Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos are alleging that Monday’s protest at Okunraiye, which led to the death of the LFTZ boss was instigated by some of the community leaders.

This is just as commercial and social activities have been brought to a halt in Lekki Free Trade Zone, LFTZ, following the tragic incident.

8—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

Banks’ cash balances hit highest figure in 2015

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

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ENTRAL Bank of Nigeria, CBN, may be visiting the banking system with liquidity mop up instruments this week as the heavy surge in excess liquidity has crashed both interbank rate and yield on treasury bills, while piling demand pressure on the foreign exchange market.

Additional liquidity was pumped into the banking system last week, bringing market liquidity to N1.06 trillion, its highest level for the year thus crashing money market rates to 0.7 percent and 1.1 percent for Open Buy Back, OBB, and overnight transactions, respectively, the lowest rates this year.

Amidst this cash deluge, additional N137.1 billion is expected to hit the market tomorrow in form of maturing instruments, bringing banking systems’ liquidity net flow to N1.2 trillion.

Commenting on the market situation, financial analysts at Afrinvest Group said: “In the current week, we expect the apex bank to carry out a substantial mop up exercise given the high level of liquidity in the system.”

Apart from debt instrument auctions, CBN’s foreign exchange window is expected to suck in over N400 billion from the banks’ cash dump this week.

Also, the Debt Management Office, DMO, is set to auction a total of N80.0 billion in February 2020 and March 2024 instruments.

Afrinvest Group analysts said: “We expect this auction to remain largely successful at the prevailing market yields, given the increased appetite of local fund managers for bonds amidst capital market volatility.”

Due to the high liquidity in the system last week, performance of the treasury bills market was very bullish as a lot of buying interest was noticed across all tenor all through the week.

MEETING: From left— Governors Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State; Mohammed Abubakar, Bauchi State; Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto, and Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta, at the meeting of governors with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

Marketers give conditions for fuel availability ... as NNPC assures of 23 days sufficiency

By Clara Nwachukwu & Mike Eboh

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IL marketers have given three conditions for continued supply and distribution of petroleum products, as shortages crept in once again with fuel queues noticeable in some parts of Abuja, Lagos and other cities nationwide.

The conditions are that Federal Government pay outstanding subsidy claims by month end, intervene for the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to release foreign exchange to marketers and intervene with commercial banks to grant credit lines to marketers.

Vanguard gathered the conditions were part of the agreements reached yesterday at a crucial meeting in Abuja, with the management of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. According to a dependable source, “NNPC simply told the public their own side of the story, without reflecting our own concerns.

“We (marketers— majors, independents and depot operators) met with NNPC management, and we made it clear to the Group Managing Director, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu that nobody has money to import anymore.

“We agreed that marketers will continue to do their best to ensure that products are available, but there is little we can do without money to bring in the products.”

Told that supply had been relatively stable in the last four

months, the source said supply came mainly from NNPC. The source said: “The refineries are bringing in something, NNPC is also importing, while marketers are bringing in only very little because of financial difficulties.”

He insisted that the resurgence of queues less than 24 hours after the agreements to ensure products availability was not sabotage, saying that it was only a matter of time before supplies tightened since marketers were hardly importing.

Effect of CBN policy

Another source, who attended the meeting, hinted that “Kachikwu promised that government will pay us, at least, 50 percent of the outstanding subsidy claims by the end of the month, or before the end of the second week in December.”

He said that marketers’ problems were compounded by the new CBN foreign exchange transaction policy.

According to him, “there are no bank facilities because credit lines are not being raised for marketers. But that is not the worse; right now, even those paying in Naira component for previous import cannot get dollar to pay their foreign suppliers.

“Imagine a situation where you have to pay about $18 million for 33,000 metric tonnes. Where will the money come from? CBN said no dollar cash payment except by wired transfer, and we have written many times to CBN,

PPPRA, DPR without results.

“Also, when you bring in your product, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, issues you certificate, which you use in processing your claims.

But these transactions are all paid for in dollars, so we are stuck.”

Staff sacked

He also disclosed that the prolonged situation had attracted some consequences as “some of our members have started laying off staff, thus compounding the already bad unemployment situation.

“Those who are not laying off have started defaulting in salaries.”

Against this backdrop, he urged government to act urgently before the situation got worse.

NNPC raises concerns

NNPC in a statement yesterday, said the meeting was with a view to “ensuring zero fuel queues throughout the country ahead of the forthcoming yuletide and beyond.”

It said the meeting was between Kachikwu and Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, and Depot and Petroleum Products Association, DAPPMA, at the NNPC Towers, Abuja.

Kachikwu was quoted as saying the issue of uninterrupted supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country

was of utmost importance to the present administration.

He added that government was willing to do everything possible to ensure that members of the public do not go through any form of hardship in accessing petroleum products, particularly premium motor spirit, PMS, also known as petrol.

The NNPC boss had also “promised to work with other relevant Federal Government agencies to fast track the payment of the outstanding numbers, promising in the interim to arrange for a meeting with the relevant creditors (bankers) to ease off pressure on marketers and extend the credit lines.”

Assures of over 927 million litres

Meanwhile, NNPC, yesterday, cautioned Nigerians against panic buying of petrol, saying it had about 23 days of product supply across the country.

NNPC, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, said its depots had about 927.461 million litres of PMS. He said they were enough to serve the country for the next 23 days even if no drop of the product was imported.

NNPC blamed the resurgence of queues at petrol filling stations on rumours of an impending scarcity, and assured that it had enough products to meet the demand of the country.

It warned marketers against sharp practices, stating that anyone found wanting would be dealt with, as there was a team at Pipeline and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, to monitor the distribution and supply system.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015—9

Our priority is to bail out the poor— President Buhari

By Peter Egwuatu & Emmanuel Elebeke

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BUJA—THE Federal Government said, yesterday, that its greatest priority is to bail out poor Nigerians from abject poverty by providing social protection that would lift their standard of living and also diversify the productive base of the economy to agriculture.

The Federal Government also said that it will strive to reform the judiciary and education system to fight corruption and

curtail impunity in the system as there would be no mercy for looters of the economy, just as it justified the reason for granting financial bailout to states.

Speaking at the 21st Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG, tagged Tough Choices: Achieving Competitiveness, Inclusive Growth and Sustainability, President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said: “We want to bail out the poor by providing social protection.

“Millions of people die on a daily basis as a result of abject poverty. They are completely alienated from the economy.

So, we need social intervention to improve the lives of these people. This improvement will come from education, health, feeding, among others.

“We are called upon to clean the mess and rebuild the institutions ravaged by corruption over the years, terrorism in the North-East, and huge rise in socioeconomic problems in the last few years, while education of

millions of children have been stalled for years.

“To effectively compete for international and local investments, we need to improve our position on economic indices.

“This calls for huge investment in infrastructure to power the economy. But as we take the tough macro and micro decisions, we are compelled to redress the increase in high rate of poverty and inequality, rising unemployment and insecurity.

“It requires rethinking of the citizens. This is why our economic model will involve substantial social safety investments over the next few years.”

On judicial reform

Reps urge FG to set up control centre for Chibok girls

President Buhari said the judicial system as a pace setter in the country had promised to replicate discipline in its profession and fight corruption in the same manner with the executive arm of government.

According to him, “the reform in the judiciary will centre on increase in remuneration and strict adherence on merit in the appointment of judges.

“We need to put a reform in place to stop corruption in the judiciary in a manner that people in the system will know that government is serious. There will be recognition for merit and they will be well paid. We will not give room for judicial indiscipline.

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

Justification for state bail out

ECONOMIC SUMMIT: From left— Business Manager, United Bank for Africa Plc, Anita Ekeada; Legal Consultant, Mr. Gbite Adeniji; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and GMD/CEO, UBA Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, when the Vice President visited UBA stand at the opening ceremony of the 21st Edition of Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, yesterday.

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BUJA—THE House of Representatives, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to set up a control/situation centre to be manned by a specialized team drawn from all the security agencies in the country to search for the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls and all other victims abducted by Boko Haram.

This House also urged the Federal Government to publicize the search for the abducted girls and make proposal for financial inducements for any information that will lead to the rescue of the girls.

Meanwhile, the House has barred members from coming to the table of the Speaker during plenary to avoid unnecessary distractions.

The need for setting up a searching centre to be manned by security professionals and the proposed inducement for

whistle blowers were some of the resolutions in a motion entitled Calling on the Federal Government to intensify efforts to rescue the 219 abducted Chibok girls sponsored by Asabe Bashir.

Bashir, in the motion, expressed worry that the families of the missing Chibok girls and Nigerians were not informed of any rescue plan and have been living in unimaginable agony, not sure if there were any effort being made to rescue the girls.

She further stated that the girls deserved to have the right to life, freedom and dignity protected by the Federal Government.

The House, presided over by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, unanimously agreed on the motion and also urged the Federal Government to publish the report of the presidential fact-finding committee on the abducted girls.

It also approved that the Federal Government give financial assistance to the parents of the abducted girls to cushion the hardship and trauma the insurgents have brought upon them.

Restrict movement to Speaker's table

The House, in the approved amendment to the standing orders and rules of the House, put a stop to members coming up to the Speaker's table during plenary to ensure decorum and unnecessary distractions.

Rule 60 (10) of the amendment provides that “unless invited by the presiding officer, no member shall approach or confer with the Chair while the House is in session.”

It will be recalled that the Speaker had on several occasions complained about the unparliamentary behaviour of some lawmakers on the floor.

“We recognize that there was a drop in states’ revenue due to the drop in oil price.

This led to the inability of some states to pay salaries.

“In realising this fact and the fact that many of them have very little internally generated revenue, IGR, government responded with the ball out.

“As much as I am not absorbing any state from financial recklessness, it was done in three aspects: first, as a viable commercial loan to the states at N600 billion and the states are to pay from federation allocation.

“We thought that the best thing would be to work out a way that the banks will take Federal Government bonds over the same period, meaning that states will now be owing Federal Government that will in turn do the deduction from federation allocation.”

IMMIGRATION STAMPEDE:

Why we ignored Jonathan’s directive —Perm Sec

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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BUJA—THE Pe r m a n e n t Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Abubakar Magaji, yesterday, said the ministry withheld the employment letters of victims of the 2014 immigration tragedy because there was procedural illegality in the directives of former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

Magaji gave the explanation when he, alongside the management of the Nigeria Immigration Services, NIS, appeared before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee for the public hearing on the immigration stampede.

President Jonathan had, after the stampede that claimed the lives of 15 applicants with about 131 injured during the nationwide immigration recruitment, ordered that three persons from each of the families of the 45 victims and the 131 people that sustained injury be given automatic employment.

The committee set up by Jonathan’s administration for the recruitment, which comprised Civil Defence, Fire Service, Immigrations and Prisons, had in a letter dated March 26, 2014, directed that the beneficiaries be given employment within twelve weeks.

Although Immigration Services had complied with the directive by writing employment letters to the beneficiaries, the letter was not released to the affected persons, which led to the peaceful protest at the National Assembly last week.

Magaji said that about 1,600 people were given employment letters for the junior cadre which was done by the Immigration office, while employment of 400 for the officer cadre was handled by the board, adding that because of the noticed error, the letters were withdrawn from the applicants.

10 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

Airtel fetes its Port Harcourt customers

COMMISSIONERS: Lagos Assembly approves Ambode’s nominees

By Ebun Sessou

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AGOS—AS part of continuous efforts to deepen relationship with its customers across Nigeria, telecoms services provider, Airtel Nigeria recently organised an exclusive business forum for premier customers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The interactive business session, which was held at Aztech Arcum, along Stadium Road, availed guests in attendance, the opportunity to gain insights into the benefits associated with being a member of the Airtel Premier club.

It also provided another opportunity for the customers and members of the company ’s top management to network and share valuable feedback.

Airtel Premieris a special V-VIP reward programme specifically designed to offer exceptional and personalised privileges to high value customers on the network.

In his welcome address at the event,Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya,reiterated the telecommunication firm’s passion for exceptional customer service delivery and its commitment to creating a world of exclusive privileges for its customers.

Dumps screening committee's report

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AGOS—THE Lagos State Assembly yesterday trashed the report of the 15- man adhoc committee constituted to screen the cabinet nominees of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and went ahead to publicly screen 35 of the 36 nominees.

The body language of the 35 nominees suggested they had tough time with the committee.

They were subsequently asked to speak on their background and experience with the committee set-up by the House to screen them last week.

The Screening Committee, which was headed by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Wasiu Sanni Eshinlokun, was directed by the House to invite the nominees and screen them between Monday 5 and Friday 9 October and report back to the House by yesterday, when sitting would resume but the report was not adopted before the House commenced the public screening.

However, 35 out of the 36 cabinet nominees appeared before the House yesterday, the same day the screening committee submitted its report, which is yet to be considered by the House.

Only Mrs Yetunde Onabule, who resides in the United

FOUNDER'S DAY: From left; Justice A d e n i k e C o k e r ; Principal, Q u e e n s College, Lagos, Mrs Lami Amodu and President, Queens College Old Girls Association, S h i r l e y Okharedia at the 88th Founder's Day Celebration of Queens College Lagos. Photo by Akeem Salau.

Kingdom was absent.

The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa had earlier said that the nominees were invited for the open screening to eliminate all doubts and put an end to speculations about the job of the adhoc committee.

All the nominees, who appeared before the House, however spoke glowingly about the committee expressing delight over the way they were treated.

A nominee, Adebimpe Akinsola, who was in the House between 2011 and 2015, praised the committee, but revealed that she broke down in tears during the screening because of some of the questions the committee members asked her.

In his testimony, Babatunde Adejare, who was also a member of the Lagos Assembly and ex-Rep member, said that he was proud to be a former member of the House.

Condemnation greets brutalisation of protesting Osun students the state capital, Osogbo, to Institutions, CASUOSTI, downed

By Amaka Abayomi

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HE Education Rights Campaign, ERC, has strongly condemned the Osun State government for brutalizing students of the state-owned higher institutions who embarked on a peaceful demonstration in

protest the continuous closure of their campuses as a result of government’ refusal to meet striking lecturers’ demands.

The four state-owned institutions have been under lock and key for over four months now since lecturers, under the Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun State Tertiary

tools because of inadequate funding, poor pay and working conditions.

The angry students, under the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Joint Campus Committee, JCC, Osun State axis, mobilized and marched to the streets of the state capital on a peaceful protest to inform the public of their plight and also seek audience with the governor.

ERC’s National Coordinator, Hassan Soweto, commenting on the development said; “As far as we are concerned, this demand is legitimate and a serious government that is truly committed to education should not allow its youth to roam the streets when they should be in classrooms.

“We condemn the government’s latest assault on the democratic rights of Osun State tertiary institutions students,'' ERC said.

Torch Taire dies at 81

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R. Torch Oritseweyinmi Taire, a well-known Lagos businessman, died yesterday, in Lagos after a brief illness.

He was aged 81 Torch Taire was born into the Taire family of Effurun, Delta State.

The younger of his mother’s two children, he followed his older sister to the Cameroons, where he attended primary school and later to Calabar, where he attended the renowned Hope Waddell College.

TOT, as he was known, trained as a pharmacist at the University of Ibadan, where he met his wife of the past 50 years, Dorcas Adefemi Abeke, nee Williams.

He worked for Parke Davis Pharmaceutical company, after which he set up a pharmacy in Ojuelegba, Lagos.

He later ventured into the importation business, became a Defence contractor with British Aerospace and later became a notable art collector.

His good taste and love of fine things set him apart as a collector. He was the MD of Stanley Torch Nigeria Ltd. He is survived by his wife, brother, children, nephews and grand children.

Late Torch (TOT) Taire

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015 — 11

Tribunal never nullified my election — KASHAMU

By Etop Ekanem

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ENATOR representing Ogun East Senatorial district, Senator Buruji Kashamu, has said that the National and State Assemblies Election Petitions Tribunal did not nullify his election, noting that it only nullified the votes attributed to both candidates in 110 polling units out of 1,135 in the Senatorial District.

He also claimed that the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Senatorial District, Mr. Dapo Abiodun, must not claim any victory because none was awarded to him.

Through a statement by his media aide, Mr Austin Oniyokor, Kashamu said; “Abiodun must be living in self delusion to have claimed any victory because none was awarded to him. Clearly, God is not mocked. It should be noted that it took him over 72 hours to say anything after the tribunal gave its controversial verdict.

“In its judgment, the tribunal said; ‘We do not feel comfortable to nullify the election in Ogun East Senatorial District when 146,533 votes are valid because of 37,008 unlawful votes. We

nullify the election into the Senatorial seat in the following polling units and order a fresh election.’’

“The implication is that Senator Kashamu is still leading Abiodun with 5,179 votes. So, how can someone trailing with over 5,000 votes be claiming victory? How can someone who

was defeated by Senator Kashamu in his polling booth, ward and local government be claiming victory? It does seem to us that he wants to get through the back door what he could not get in a free and fair contest.

“It is also very important to reiterate that the rerun was ordered in 110 out of over 1,135 polling units in the senatorial district. That is less than 10 percent of the polling units in

the senatorial district.

“Another reason we believe the tribunal’s verdict was a travesty of justice is: there is nowhere in the Electoral Act where an Election Tribunal is empowered to make order on a partial rerun of an election.

“So, for information, Senator Kashamu will remain in office.

His certificate of return is still with him. It has not been withdrawn because there is no such consequential order.’’

SEMINAR: From left; Former chairman, Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Alhaji Abubakar Jijiwa; Director-general, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr Emeka Mba; BON chairman, Mr Sola Omole, and board chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria, Chief Tony Okoroji, at a Content Management Seminar for Digital Broadcasting in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

IPMAN engages DSS to arrest fuel hoarders in Ogun

By Daud Olatunji

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B E O K U TA — INDEPENDENT Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Mosimi depot, has engaged officials of Department of State Services to arrest petroleum marketers hoarding fuel in Ogun State.

Chairman of the association , Adeleke Bada, disclosed this in

Abeokuta, the state capital while speaking on the current fuel scarcity in the state.

Bada said some marketers have been arrested by the operatives and have been sanctioned for allegedly hoarding the products.

The Chairman of IPMAN, who did not disclose the identity of those that have been arrested so far and the number, said the

association was compelled to take the step following the complaints of the people over the hoarding of the products.

Speaking on the cause of the sudden sharp fall in the supply of petroleum products in the state and in some South-west states, the IPMAN chairman disclosed that the pipeline at Arepo area in Ogun State, which had been tampered with by

Three remanded for kidnapping and stealing in Ondo

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—AN Akure Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo state capital has ordered that three persons be remanded in prison custody over alleged stealing and kidnapping.

They were ordered to be remanded at the Olukuta Prisons custody for kidnapping and stealing properties worth over N1.1 million.

The three, according to the Police prosecutor, Isah Atanegbe; include Sunday Abegunde 30, Babatunde Fajemileyin, 39 and Fanimokun Levis, 30.

Atanegbe told the court that the three accused persons armed with guns and other dangerous weapons robbed one Foluso

Aribaba and also kidnapped one Jimoh Ibrahim.

According to him the accused persons stole one Toyota Camry valued at N600,000.00, Samsung handset, one Huawei, one Nokia Lumia, all valued at N212,000, jewelries, beads, two wrist watches, a pair of shoes, provisions and clothes.

Atanegbe further disclosed that the accused persons conspired and kidnapped one 52-year-old Jimoh Ibrahim, and compelled his family to pay a ransom of N500,000 According to the charge sheet, the offences committed by the accused persons were contrary to and punishable under sections 2 (1) (a) (b),1(1) (2) (a&b) of Robbery and firearms (Special provision) and anti-kidnapping Law of the Federation, 2004.

However, the police prosecutor said that the case was beyond court's jurisdiction and that the police would send the case file to the Directorate of Public Prosecution DPP in the Ministry of Justice for legal advice.

vandals is yet to be fixed.

He revealed that it would take Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, about two weeks to fix the damage by the vandals.

According to Bada, Mosimi depot is served by the pipeline, the depot serves Ogun State, Ijigbo, Ibadan and Ilorin.

Until the pipeline is fixed, the marketers’ leader noted that some of them would be patronising private depots at Apapa, Lagos.

He revealed that some filling stations currently selling Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, at N100 went to buy the product from private depot at Apapa which sells at N87 to marketers.

The transport and other costs of bringing the product to the station push the cost to N100.

Why we encourage local production of devices – AREGBESOLA

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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S O G B O — GOVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, yesterday lamented the loss of huge opportunities by the country to encourage local manufacturing of its needs in telephony, and general communication infrastructure.

Aregbesola said the opportunities his government saw in the massive population of technology devices users in Nigeria led to the birth of such company in Osun as typified by the establishment of the RLG/Adulawo Technology Centre and the innovative tablet of knowledge, called Opon Imo. The Governor stated this yesterday as the Chief host at the Annual General Meeting and the 11th International Conference and exhibition on Power and Telecommunication of the Nigerian Institution of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, NIEEE; titled “Power and Telecommunications: New frontier for investment” in Osogbo.

Osun declares public holiday for Hijrah

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HE Osun State g o v e r n m e n t yesterday declared today a public holiday to mark the Islamic New Year (Hijrah 1437).

The Governor, through a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said the declaration is in line with the usual practice of the state government to declare holiday for Muslims to observe the important Islamic calendar date.

Fayose’s wife counsels women on family planning

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KOLE EKITI—Wife of Ekiti State governor,Mrs Feyisetan Fayose has advised women in active reproductive age range to limit the number of children they have in line with their economic wherewithal.

Mrs Fayose was speaking at the state Specialist Hospital, Ikole Ekiti, during the payment of medical bills for some indigent patients.

Apparently worried by the huge

number of women who had just delivered new babies but could not afford to pay their medical bills in the hospital,Mrs Fayose said women must take precautionary measures by way of regulating the number of children they could conveniently take care of so that would not have any negative effect in their lives.

“Let me use this opportunity to call on our medical personnel including doctors and nurses to

educate our women on how to key into family planning medical process”The moment you are having three to four children,you should apply a break,so that you too can enjoy your life.

“God forbids that any adverse thing happens, who is going to take care of your children,’’ she said.

The first lady therefore called on women in the state to be mindful of their health and the harsh economic reality in the country.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

ALAMIEYESEIGHA: Dickson postpones campaign flag-off

By Samuel Oyadongha & Davies Iheamnachor

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E N A G O A — GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, yesterday, announced the postponement of the flag-off of his governorship campaign slated for October 17, in honour of the first civilian governor of the state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who died last Saturday.

The governor also faulted the controversy surrounding Alamieyeseigha's death and called on the people of the Ijaw nation at home and in the diaspora, to maintain law and order, disclosing that a high powered burial committee, led by the deputy governor, had been constituted.

Dickson, in a special state-wide broadcast in Yenagoa, noted that though the country, and particularly the Ijaw nation, had lost a foremost statesman and leader, the state government was determined to give the former governor a befitting state burial.

He said: “The state government is determined to accord him a befitting state burial. In this regard, a high powered burial committee, led by the deputy governor has been constituted.

This committee will work out details of the programme with the family and other relevant stakeholders.”

Eulogizing the former governor, Dickson said: “Chief Alamieyeseigha, in his life time, apart from serving our nation as a military officer, also dedicated himself to passionate and committed service to Bayelsa State and the entire Ijaw nation, both as governor and in other capacities. His selfless devotion and service to Bayelsa State and the entire Ijaw nation earned him the sobriquet, GovernorGeneral of the ijaw nation in his

lifetime.”

Meanwhile, the former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, visited the Port Harcourt home of the late Alamieyeseigha and lamented that the ex-governor died at the time when the people of the state needed his fatherly role most.

Mrs. Jonathan described the death as shocking, painful and heart rending, adding that the family and the state will miss him dearly.

In her condolence message to the bereaved family, Mrs. Jonathan said “daddy, onbehalf of my husband, the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Goodluck Jonathan, our entire family members, we mourn you so dearly. We are in shock and our hearts are full of pains, though, we cannot question God. We are saying goodbye, may your gentle soul rest in perfect peace.”

ROUNDTABLE: From left: Former Vice Chancellor, University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Prof. Barineme Beke Fakai; Vanguard Newspaper columnist and consultant, Donu Kogbara; Head Community Relations, Frontier Oil Ltd, Mr Sam Atara and Paramount Ruler of Mogho Gokana, Ogoni, HRH Mene Stephen Bkpea, during a United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), Assessment Report Implementation Review Roundtable on oil spillage, organized by Social Action, in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Complete ongoing projects, shun new ones, Fashola tells Oshiomhole

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ORMER governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has advised Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State to shun the temptation of initiating new projects unless they are very critical to the well-being of the people, but should rather concentrate on completing ongoing ones before the end of his tenure in November 2016.

Fashola told the governor that he could not completely rebuild Edo State within eight years, as it is practically impossible for any administration to initiate and execute all the projects needed by people in the state.

Speaking as Guest Speaker at a three-day retreat for members of Edo State Executive Council and Permanent Secretaries, holding in Abuja, to brainstorm and restrategise on raising the bar on governance in the state, with the theme, “Finishing Well”, Fashola said: “This gathering is auspicious because for me, it demonstrates the focus of your government. You are clearly mindful that the time is up. Let me emphasise that time is up, time is not running out, it is up, the government's tenure is at an end. What you have now is the

process to walk out. It is easy to say you have not finished the job. So in that sense, there is work to do, you must accept that and you must also be honest with yourself that you can’t finish the work. The reason is that, it is the work of the people, work of human beings and as long as the human civilization remains, work will never end because it is a continuous undertaking.

“If the work could be finished, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia would have finished it. He had more time than you have and if it could not be finished at that time, the late Ambrose Alli would have finished it and probably John Odigie-Oyegun. So, in that sense, it won’t be finished. In the last few days, there would be a lot of talk about what you did not do, and there will be

people asking you, before you go, come and do this, but you must be honest with yourself and be honest with them, having regards to the realities of your resources. The pressure can be enormous, but don’t see that it as negative, it is not. See it as positive because they are asking you to do it only because they trust in your ability to do it that is why they are asking you."

Senator presents score card to constituents

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EPUTY Chief Whip of the Senate and senator representing Edo North, Senator Francis Alimikhena, has visited Okpella, in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, to render account of his stewardship at the National Assembly in his three months of service so far to his constituents.

He told his people that he was there to brief his leaders on the journey so far. He described regular feedback as a major tool in effective representation, stressing that his regular visit was part of the fulfillment of his campaign promises to always

remain a grassroots senator and, not a senator in diaspora that was not accessible by his people.

He said: “I am here in Edo North with you and my gate is wide open to receive and listen to Edo North people."

He mentioned some of his achievements to include the construction of the failed portion of Auchi Agenebode road, sponsoring of two bills, motions, and provision of employment as well as continuous personal assistance among others.”

Speaking during the leaders' forum, the Edo State Deputy Chairman of All Progressives

Congress, APC, Alhaji Chaltins Mogaji, described Senator Alimikhena as a man with a strong character, saying that since the political history of Edo North, this was the first time a serving senator invited political leaders to brief them on his few months of service in Abuja. “This is an exceptional character that we must celebrate. We are lucky to have Senator Francis Alimikhena as our senator in a time like this when effective representation and accountability are required in this dispensation of change,” he added.

Clark'll never betray Jonathan —Evah

By Tony Nwankwo

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JAW Monitoring Group, IMG, has described as baseless, recent media reports condemning Chief Edwin Clark’s comments on former President Goodluck Jonathan.

In a statement, National Coordinator, IMG, Comrade Joseph Evah, described Chief Clark as the best father to the former president, saying the Jjaw national leader would continue to be the ‘last man standing’ for Goodluck Jonathan.

The former publicity secretary of Ijaw National Congress, INC, said: “I also openly criticized the former president in the press when he attempted to remove the former National Security Adviser, General Owoye Azazi, to please some people, yet Jonathan went ahead to remove him. Does that make me a betrayer?"

“As a true father, Chief Clark never clapped for everything Goodluck Jonathan did while in office. You will recall when Clark openly opposed the former president when he was unable to stop the gang-up of governors against Alhaji Bamanga Tukur."

Edo community seeks govt intervention in leadership tussle

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NDIGENES and elders of Okhunmwun community in Ovia NorthEast Local Government Area of Edo State, yesterday, protested to the state government, imploring the governor to intervene in the leadership tussle in the community.

The protesting community members, led by the Odionwere (traditional head) elders representative, Chief H. Akpara, and others also faulted the recent “report of the Edo State peace and conflict resolution committee on community development association chairmanship tussle in Okhunmwunu community in Ovia N/E L.G.A of Edo state.”

They accused the chairman of the said committee of allegedly conniving to impose a chairman for the community against the wishes of elders and indigenes of Okhunmwun community.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015—13

RIVERS POLL: Tribunal upholds election of 4 PDP lawmakers

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—THE Rivers State National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja, yesterday, upheld the elections of four federal lawmakers from the state who were on March 28, elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Among those the tribunal declined to unseat was Senator Olaka Nwogu, representing Rivers South-East senatorial district.

The Justice Mohammed Sifawa-led panel dismissed the petition filed against Nwogu’s election victory by the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its candidate for the district, Senator Magnus Abe. Similarly, the tribunal dismissed three separate petitions that sought to sack three members of the House of Representatives that emerged on the ticket of the PDP. They are Awaji-Inombek Abiante (Andoni/OpoboNkoro federal constituency), Barineka Nina (Eleme/Oyigbo/ Tai), and Dimnamene Deekor (Khana/Gokhana federal constituency ).

Specifically, the tribunal held that the petitioners, Sampson Egop, Mpigi Barinada and Maurice Pronen, all candidates of the APC, did not by way of substantial evidence, prove that the National Assembly election in Rivers State was marred by violence and irregularities.

The panel held that the

petitioners could not adduce sufficient evidence capable of swaying the exercise of its discretion in their favour.

It stressed that the petitioners, by their own evidence, contradicted their claim that election did not hold in Rivers State on March 28.

“The petitioners having not established any prima-facie case that election did not hold, we cannot but resolve the issues in favour of the

respondents”, the panel ruled.

Besides, it maintained that the petitioners were unable to discharge the burden of proof that was placed upon them by the law.

According to the tribunal, “The petitioners made allegations of crime against the respondents. It was alleged that there were cases of ballot snatching, absence of card reader machines, violence, multiple thumb-

printing of ballot papers, and manhandling of voters and electoral officers by supposed armed PDP thugs.

Such allegations, being criminal in nature, must be proved beyond reasonable doubt. It is trite law that he who alleges corrupt practice must prove that it substantially affected the outcome of the election. The burden of proof rests with the petitioners.”

LECTURE: From left:Mr Kola Awokoya, MD, MetroHealth HMO; Mrs Bunmi Afolabi, Alumni Relations Director, LBS and Speaker-Dr Ebun Bamgboye, Director, MetroHealth HMO, President, Transplant Association of Nigeria and President, Nigerian Association of Nephrology, during the Alumni Session lecture sponsored by MetroHealth HM, in Lagos.

DSS parades four suspects over Donu Kogbara's kidnap

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT—THE Department of State Services, DSS, yesterday paraded four suspects behind the kidnap of Vanguard columnist, Donu Kogbara, at its Rivers State headquarters on Forces Avenue, Old GRA, Port Harcourt.

Director of DSS in the state, Mr Ibrahim Ngoshe, said the suspects who allegedly confessed to the crime said they were 11 in number, noting that the operatives were on the trail of the others.

He said the four suspects in the DSS custody also claimed they were behind high profile abductions in the state.

The DSS boss, who appealed for useful information from the public to aid the operations of the service in the state, said items recovered from the suspects included a pump action gun and some ammunition.

It will be recalled that

Kogbara was abducted from her family residence at Nkpogu area of Port Harcourt

o n August 30 by the kidnappers She was later released after

about12 days in the custody of her abductors in one of the creeks in the Niger Delta.

C-River communities laud Ayade over super-highway

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HE youth president of Obung community in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, Mr. Philip Ogar, has expressed his community’s delight that the 260 kilometer superhighway being undertaken by Governor Ben Ayade's administration is passing through their land.

Ogar, who spoke yesterday, said the super-highway would bring a lot of benefits to his people and other communities which the road would pass through, stressing that the youths of his community and other neighboring communities were excited about the

superhighway and were happy with what the governor was doing.

According to him, the multi-billion naira project would open up their area to development as many businesses would spring up to create employment opportunities for the people.

He noted that every member of his community including the chiefs, elders, women and the youths were hopeful and happy about the project.

The youth president commended the governor for his vision and drive, assuring that his community would support the governor and ensure that the project was

achieved.

Speaking while inspecting the progress of work, the Special Assistant, Technical, Mr. Eric Akpo, said bulldozing works and clearing of path were going on steadily.

Akpo said about12 kilometers earth work had been achieved despite relentless rainfall.

Also speaking, the Environmental Manager Assistant, Mr. Francis Njeni, disclosed that they were taking stock of the different species of trees that had been cleared to give way for the road.

Delta gov tribunal reserves judgment

By Festus Ahon & Ochuko Akuopha

A

SABA—DELTA State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Asaba, yesterday reserved judgment in the petitions brought before it challenging the victory of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa in the April 11 governorship election in the state.

This came as Labour Party, LP, and its governorship candidate, Chief Great Ogboru, yesterday submitted his written address and adoption of motions, arguing that if Okowa, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said the use of card reader in the April 11, election was illegal, it then meant Okowa’s election was illegal.

Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor and that of LP, Chief Ogboru in their petitions are challenging the declaration of Okowa of the PDP as winner of the said election by INEC on grounds of alleged substantial noncompliance with the guidelines for the election.

Reserving judgment, Chairman of the three-man tribunal, Justice Nasir Gunmi said the secretary of the tribunal would communicate the date of the ruling to the parties.

Office Machines delivers RAFMIS software for revenue monitoring

I

N a bid to ensure quicker and improved revenue monitoring and allocation system, Office Machines has successfully secured and deployed a highly scalable web-based application for the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission RFMAC. The application known as RAFMIS will assist the commission to effectively monitor the revenue accruals to and disbursement from the federation accounts to the three tiers of government.

Following the successful deployment RMAFC entered into an agreement with Office Machines Nigeria Limited to make available the information technology tool of RAFMIS and also conduct a train the trainer for a mix of technical and super users of the commission in Abuja.

14 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

21S A , FCT TERD AY. 1STT NIGERIAN ECONOMIC SUMMIT (NES) AATT ABUJ ABUJA FCT,, YES YESTERD TERDA

Vice Ppresident Yemi osinbajo (2nd right) being conducted round the exhibition of products by Coordinator, Corporate Communications, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mr. Isiaka Lawal (right) during the presidential policy dialogue at the NES.

From left; Vice Chairman, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, NESG, and CEO, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Mrs Sola DavidBorha; Senior Partner, Banwo and Ighadolo, Mr Asue Ighodalo and CEO, Kainos Edge Consulting, Mrs Wonu Adetayo at the summit.

From left: Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Mike Ikpoki and Corporate Service Executive, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck during the visit of the Vice President to the MTN stand during the opening sessions of the summit.

From left; Chairman, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, NESG, Mr. Kyari Abba Bukar; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; CEO, The Chair Centre Group, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika and Publisher, Business Day newspaper, Mr. Frank Aigbogun during the presidential policy dialogue at the summit.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015—15

3 injured, N50m goods destroyed as fire guts Electronics Int'l Market, Onitsha

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

N

NEWI—GOODS worth over N50 million were yesterday gutted by mid night fire while three people sustained various degrees of injury at the popular Electronics International Market Onitsha, the commercial nerve center of Anambra State.

The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing this report but the inferno was said to have started at about 3.am from one of the shops inside the market.

According to an eye witness, “immediately we discovered that there was an outbreak of fire in one of the shops, I alerted the vigilante commander, Mr. Jideofor Okacha and we started making contacts for help but all efforts were in vain as none of the fire service stations contacted responded except Okpoko Fire Service Station”.

Speaking with newsmen, the vigilante commander stressed the need for a control switch to be installed in the market, adding that on rushing to the shop with other security operatives, thick smoke was seen bellowing from the said shop.

“We tried to break the shop to stop the fire with our fire extinguisher, but to no avail and the security men from one of the new generation banks located inside the market brought their extinguisher but to no avail. Instead, the fire escalated, touching the double shop apartment and other near-by shops in the market.

“As it went out of control, we called the Okpoko Fire Service men at about 4.am

and they responded promptly with their vehicle and put out the fire.”

He said that initially, the effort of the Okpoko fire service men was resisted by the ravaging inferno. The water in

their tank soon finished and they rushed back to their office and came back almost immediately and emptied their tank on the inferno.

“Nobody died because it was in the midnight and people

PRESENTATION: Divisional Head, Retail Group, Fidelity Bank Plc., Richard Madiebo; Save4 Shelter Savings Promo Star Prize Winner, Omowunmi Abraham; Executive Director, Shared Services, Fidelity Bank Plc., Chijioke Ugochukwu, and Head, Savings Group, Fidelity Bank Plc,. Janet Nnabuko, at the first prize presentation of the Fidelity Save4 Shelter Savings Promo, in Lagos.

NGF laments economic hardship in states

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—CHAIRMAN of Nigerian Governors’ Forum,NGF,Alhaji Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, has lamented the fortunes first term governors who assumed office in their respective states across the country met in view of the present harsh economic realities starring the nation in the face.

Governor Yari who was accompanied by the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and now

Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and the Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who was their host, however, pointed out that there is hope in the current efforts to revitalize the economy.

The visiting governors who attended a burial ceremony had paid a courtesy visit to Governor Ugwuanyi and said it was in the spirit of their cordial relationships during their tenures as members of the House of Representatives. The three National Assembly members were elected governors during

the last governorship elections in their respective states.

Speaking to Enugu Government House reporters at the weekend shortly after a closed door session with the Enugu governor, Yari said, “each and every nation has its own problems, especially on the issue of the economy.

“We were discussing with our brother here(Ugwuanyi). We came in as governors and we can say we are not lucky but in reality, we are lucky because we won our elections. We came in at a time when the economy is down but we are managing.

“You can see we "We would want to have hope for condemn, in strong terms, Nigeria. When we these unwholesome tactics have security settled in pursuit of a dangerous and we have the agenda by the Governor of economy gradually Imo State, Owelle Rochas working to ensure Okorocha. We will resist that all the leakages the use of the police to deal are blocked, we can with an issue that is purely enhance the revenue generation to the industrial.

“Accordingly, we urge the betterment of our Inspector General of Police nation." to immediately call to order the Imo State Police Commissioner in order to forestall a complete breakdown of law and order. We assure on our honour that if the police persist in the brutalisation and forceful ejection of workers from their offices, the Nigeria Labour Congress will mobilise its workers to protest against this brutality."

CONCESSIONING: NLC threatens Imo govt over

harassment of workers

By Victor AhiumaYoung

N

IGERIA LABOUR Congress, NLC, yesterday, said it would resist alleged use of police

by Imo State Government to chase out workers from offices, especially, paratatals in order to concession them.

Congress urged the Inspector General of Police, to immediately call to order the Imo State Police Commissioner to forestall a complete breakdown of law and order.

In a statement, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, General Secretary, of Ayuba Wabba led faction of NLC, in Abuja said “It has come to our

attention that the government of Imo State is using the members of the Nigeria Police Force to chase out workers from offices, especially, paratatals in order to concession them. In the course of this, we have been reliably informed that scores of workers have been arrested, brutalised and tear-gassed.

Paul Kelemba wins CNN Multichoice African The Awards, which rotate Journalist 2015 Awards

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AUL KELEMBA, from Kenya, has been awarded GE Energy & Infrastructure Award, presented by Jay Ireland, President and CEO of GE Africa, at this year’s CNN Multichoice African Journalist 2015 C M Y K

were still sleeping but some of the security men with me from a new generation bank sustained various degrees of injury as we tried to stop the fire”.

Awards ceremony.

Kelemba, who works freelance for The Standard on Saturday, won for his piece “Sorting out Nairobi Transport” which was chosen from entries spanning 39 nations across the African continent.

location each year in tribute to their panAfrican credentials, were held at a Gala ceremony hosted by CNN and Multichoice at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, in Nairobi.

Police kill robber in Aba

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—POLICEMEN from the Aba Police Area Command, Abia State have shot dead an armed robber while on stop and search duty at Bata junction along Factory road area of the city.

Vanguard gathered that one of the gang members died on the spot following injuries he sustained from gunshot from the Police as he made to escape.

According to sources, the police were on a stop and search operation at Bata junction on early morning hours, Saturday, when they suspected the car of the hoodlums and insisted on searching it.

The hoodlums, who pretended as if they were going to comply, attacked the police as they fired sporadic shots into the air while escaping.

Vanguard learnt that a member of the gang has been arrested through a tip off and is now helping the police in their investigation,

Rep loses mother

M

RS. ROSALINE Uzoamaka Okeke (JP) (Nee Ezeme), mother of Hon. Dr. Christian Okeke, former member that represented Idemili North/South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, is dead, aged 85.

She died on Thursday, July 9, 2015, after a brief illness.

A statement from Dr. Okeke, head of the bereaved family said commendation service will be held in her honour on Thursday, October 15 at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Nkpor-Agu on Enugu/ Onitsha Expressway, after which her remains will be interred at her husband’s compound, 32 Akuzor Road, NkporAgu, Idemili North LGA, Anambra State.

16—Vanguard,WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

Ministerial screening at NASS, Abuja

Senate President Bukola Saraki, listening to Alhaji Lai Mohammed, during the screening of ministerial nominees, at the National Assembly, NASS, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan

Dr. Kayode Fayemi

Mrs. Amina Ibrahim

Senators Oluremi Tinubu (right) David Umaru, Shehu Sani (left), and others, at the Plenary.

Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu

Chief Audu Ogbeh

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015 — 17

H

OW did corruption become a way of life in Nigeria? This question should be of the utmost importance to the Presidency and of course to the future minister of information whose role, if not for the “job for the boys syndrome” should have remained combined with that of the minister of culture (and by extension tourism). Nigeria’s national orientation, our inability to unanimously condemn wrongdoing, is perhaps our country’s greatest problem.

It allows and reinforces corruption but does it precede it or stem from it? Colonial literature will tell you that the Black man has an inherent propensity to use public office for private gain and that the lack of a responsible public opinion to check corruption has emboldened and excused offenders. The first part of this assertion is clearly racist although the second still holds true.

The media in Nigeria is beholden to those it should be investigating and as such, isn’t institutionally strong enough to take on public policy issues: many reporters are not trained to fully understand them and most politicians have little to no interest in understanding or acting upon issues. Why should they? The public and those who should be informing them, also know—or care— little about what is at stake. What a catch 22.

Corruption in Nigeria has a very long history. Nnamdi Azikiwe was investigated, in 1956 for not severing his relationship with the African Continental Bank, as required by the code of conduct. In fact, the tribunal believed that Zik used his position as Premier of the Eastern Region to further the bank’s (and his own) interest.

The bank reportedly loaned Zik, his family and associates, sums that they were not required to repay.

tprincewill@yahoo.co.uk

Colonial mentality standards in terms of conduct and public morality and neither were those they handed power over to.

During the First Republic, corruption became the order of the day and it’s no wonder that Chinua Achebe reportedly maintained that both Zik and Awolowo were only interested in politics for their own personal profit.

That our leaders, past and present have only ever sought public office to surround themselves with comfort at the expense of the masses, is something we learnt from our colonial masters even though they painted our inability to develop as a character flaw (somehow inherent to our race).

My aim here is not to lay the blame solely on colonisation but to insist that we understand what happened in order to move forward. In a country where history is no longer studied in most schools, there is a culture (and danger) of refusing introspection, selfinterrogation or any real scrutiny.

Accountability and good governance were the hallmark of traditional African societies before colonisation. It is a tragedy that the Black mind and culture has so forgotten who

Financial sectors Long before Emir Sanusi’s discourse on the lack of ethics and the pervasive mismanagement within the Nigerian financial sector, politically connected persons had apparently been involved in various scandals.

As stated by a colonial officer at the time “were a UK minister to be involved in a series of transactions the result of which public funds were used to support an otherwise shaky institution in which he was directly interested, he would be forced to leave public life.” So Nigeria has a long history of allowing corruption.

The question on the British end is why, if indeed there was evidence of wrong-doing, Zik or Awolowo for instance (the latter also had corruption allegations levelled against him by the British), were not formally tried. You see, the colonial powers were never interested in establishing C M Y K

The question on the British end is why, if indeed there was evidence of wrongdoing, Zik or Awolowo for instance (the latter also had corruption allegations levelled against him by the British), were not formally tried;colonial powers were never interested in establishing standards

opportunity for all, Nigeria should have had a different system of governance, not one where the same modes of dominance and oppression once used by the British were repeated, until they became the status quo, the only form of existence many of us have ever known.

The police and military existed to crush opposition under colonisation, so they continued, after independence, to enforce a culture of coercion and subjugation, teaching us all to bargain (or buy) our way out of uncomfortable situations.

Colonisation also destabilised prevailing African values, the “togetherness” we now claim but don’t practice. A culture of unchecked monetisation, a frenzied greed for possessions was embraced (and encouraged) by our independence leaders which is why a former petroleum minister today is accused of having in her possession the equivalent of a small country’s earnings.

Colonial masters

President Muhammadu Buhari it once was that it believes only imperfections could stem from it, thus awarding that which is well-behaved, effective or good to the Western world.

Advancement based on merit, public investment for the common good, self-reliance, these words all once qualified the typical African kingdom in the Middle Ages. What happened?

Why does no one know this, least of which Africans themselves? Among the Yoruba, kingmakers existed to keep the crown in check: the Alafin of Oyo had to rule in his citizens’ interest, or face death. The Ibo had no central authority, yet their societies were highly organised: leadership was in the hands of the people.

Titled chiefs with their red caps represented justice, an unwavering commitment to truth and service: thus the saying “a titled man does not lie”, how far we are from this ancient norm!

Now that any Nollywood actor can become a chief, or a PA to a state governor, we have made a mockery of Nigerian traditional institutions.

Edwin Clark

Chief Edwin Clark

Everything is for sale in today’s Nigeria because all we did was exchange one form of slavery for another: the masters changed but the system didn’t.

Governance in colonial Nigeria wasn’t about character or serving a community: it was about dominance and those who were promoted when the British left were mostly their cronies, often corrupt men and women whom we were too misinformed and brow beaten to oppose.

Social services The people saw little to no social services in return for the taxes they paid the British, thus annihilating the concept of accountability, pitting citizens against each other and the ruling class.

One wonders if our independence leaders truly believed in or cared about our independence: did they just see rising discontent among the masses and an opportunity to be the new lords? If they were so committed to equity and

G

OOD friends are hard to find or so former president Goodluck Jonathan has probably learnt as one by one, those whose advice he once cherished (and Nigerians wondered why as it seemed lopsided, tainted with unbearable ethnic bias) now abandon him. As they say in local parlance, “man must chop.”

Africans admired their colonial masters for living in nice homes, wielding power unflinchingly and for looking down on blackness. We idolise today ’s usurpers of public wealth because of something our colonial masters taught us: that we were not good enough, that we were unworthy of respect without certain trappings of power.

So, today we are consumers (we produce next to nothing) of foreign goods and culture and the baton (passed on from our mentors) bread (and continues to do so) generations of selfcentred raiders who see nothing wrong with helping themselves to our commonwealth. Before a Nigerian can even speak, he is practically raised to see what is clearly wrong as debatable rather than something to be unanimously condemned because our masters want it to be so.

Buhari is yet to truly speak about what he is most famous for, besides his anti-corruption stance, its twin, the war on indiscipline. But he must quickly set a course (even though his body language alone has done wonders) particularly in the area of national orientation so that government agencies and departments can partner to assess formal and informal education, the only long term way to correct the huge mental damage done to the Nigerian psyche since independence.

Tabia Princewill is a strategic communications consultant and public policy analyst. She is also the co-host and executive producer of a talk show, WALK THE TALK which airs on Channels TV.

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015 AS President Muhammadu Buhari’s avowed war against corruption begins to gather momentum, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has thrown its weight behind the growing clamour for a special court to try corruption cases.

EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, added his voice to the call, saying that such a court would expedite the trial of corruption cases unlike what is currently obtainable at regular courts where graft cases are bogged down by serial adjournments. His predecessor, Farida Waziri, had also canvassed the establishment6 of such a court.

Proponents of the idea argue that not only will it fast-track the process of justice dispensation, it will also increase the efficacy of trial judges. They contend that corruption cases in regular courts are being stalled by interlocutory applications and other legal technicali-

Beyond the clamour for anti-graft Special Court ties. There is also a tendency that judges who are assigned other matters alongside corruption cases may not focus properly.

Cases are known to make several journeys to the Supreme Court and back to trial courts for retrials, no thanks to delay tactics lawyers employ in an attempt to thwart the course of justice. There have also been instances of transfer of judges out of jurisdictions where cases originated. Some of such cases have to begin all over again irre-

spective of how far the trials have gone.

However, a Special Court of this nature cannot be established by mere presidential fiat. It is a process that requires a constitutional amendment which involves time and resources. If we are to wait until we go through the grill of constitutional amendment to create this Court, the anti-graft campaign may lose steam. The momentum will be lost and we will be back to square one if political interests eventually thwart its establishment.

Though we agree with Lamorde that

very experienced, senior lawyers often frustrate corruption cases at regular courts, there is no guarantee that the same antics would not be employed at the Special Court, since the rules of proceedings will not be different, especially as appeals from this Court will still lie at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

We urge the advocates of the Special Court not to create an impression that once established, anyone charged before it must be convicted at all costs. Irrespective of the court where a case is being tried, justice must still be done to the state, the defendant and society at large.

We believe that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan this year has comprehensive panaceas and options for the quick and effective dispensation of justice. All we need to do is to implement it without fear, favour or pandering to the whims of politicians.

OPINION Time to rehabilitate Fela Anikulapo-Kuti

By Patrick Cole

I

HESITATE to call someone a genius in a genre. I am unfamiliar with music but other musicians have called him a genius; I will go with that. Fela was born into a most prominent Yoruba Egba family. His father, a noted educationalist, was principal of the iconic Abeokuta Grammar School; his mother probably Africa’s first political feminist and liberationist when that term would have been anathema to its progenitors. She was a political firebrand and led several campaigns against the British colonial masters. Fela learned to play piano and other instruments from the age of nine. He went to study music in the United Kingdom, returned about the early 1960s with a group called the Kolalobitos playing jazz, classical, highlife, a not too successful combination.

Meanwhile, back then to music epitomised by James Brown and a host of other African-Americans were impacting Fela and other Nigerian musicians. Fela internalised all this and came out with his inimitable Afrobeat. But Fela’s Egba culture had the ingredients of musical, political commentary which he picked up and

personified. He had little use for the military who had stolen democracy and freedom in the name of stopping corruption. The military were a corrupt dictatorship which had no place in Nigeria.

Fela spent the rest of his life criticising and ridiculing the political and military elite. He was clear in his mind that military government and political freedom were antithetical and could not co-exist in the same place. He sang for the freedom of Africa and Black people. He blasted all those who pretended to rule Africa by any other means except democracy and justice.

He said that human rights were inherent in man, therefore bleeding heart liberals who wanted to give human rights to Africans cannot logically give Africans what they already inherently had. It was the liberal governments, the multinational corporations(the International Thief-Thief).

The Zombies who were the enemy of the people. The rest of Fela’s story is well known and pathetic. Soldiers went to his house and burnt it down, raped some of

He was a victim of unbridled injustice and persecution; he deserves reparation

his 27 wives, threw his mother out of the window. She was then over 80 years. She broke her legs and soon after she died. Fela attempted to give his mother’s coffin to the military government for burial to no avail.

The verdict of the commission of inquiry into the attacking on his house and the death of his mother reported that these incidents were committed by unknown soldiers. These incidents provided more grist for the mill of Fela’s music - the Unknown Soldier, Zombie, etc. Fela was arrested leading a 70-member band going on tour to Europe for having $2000. He was tried and jailed for five years. He was released by Military President, Ibrahim Babangida. Outwardly, Fela was the same; his spirit was not broken but he was. A sad and defiant man, retreating more into African traditional beliefs as his songs reflected “water no get enemy”. He fell ill and later died of AIDS. Over one million people came to see his coffin and observed his last journey: no one in Nigeria has ever pulled such a crowd.

All the above is well known and nothing I can say will capture the magnetism of his genius. While in the Daily Times we sponsored a country-wide show of Fela and an African American jazz musician, Roy Ayers. His residence was turned into a

school and he had to move his band to new premises in Ikeja. He named it “The African Shrine”.

The purpose of this article is to seek the rehabilitation of Fela as a national hero for services rendered to Nigeria, Africa and mankind. No other Nigerian is better known than him. But as usual, a prophet is not known among his countrymen.

Moreover, he was a victim of unbridled injustice and persecution who deserves reparation. Memorials should be built for him in Lagos, Abeokuta and Abuja. The school now occupying his land should be relocated. Fela Music Academy and Theatre should be built there; in Abuja, a museum put up in his name, same as in Abeokuta.

Many people will ask whether Cole has gone mad. If madness is to see injustice unrequited then I am mad. Was he the only one who suffered from injustice? No, but ask yourself how many Africans have had their lives and music portrayed on Broadway, New York, London and other parts of the world. If that is not praise enough let our consciences never let us rest for killing Fela and his mother, all because he sang the song of freedom.

•Dr. Cole, a former ambassador, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015—19 —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Buhari’s incomplete list of ministers N a piece entitled ‘Buhari’s him in the job of cleaning up the Nigerians’ anxiety’ systemic rot left by his Ithatdilemma: appeared here a fortnight predecessor in office. As to what ago, this column commented on the dilemma in which President Muhammadu Buhari seemed to have found himself naming his ministers. As the September deadline for the submission of the long-awaited list of ministerial hands approached, it seemed, menacingly so did it look like the president would not be able to keep his words to unveil the names of his ministers last September. In the end, the list got to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, not a moment soonerindeed just in time enough before the National Assembly closed for the week. And Saraki kept Nigerians guessing for four more days before making the content of the ministerial list public.

That the president apparently found it difficult (because there was no point keeping people guessing for four months if it was all so easy) performing what is routine task for most Nigerian executives say something of the moral dilemma in which he found himself.

He had said much about appointing Nigerians of impeccable credentials to help

might be the actual reason for the trouble the president appeared to be having naming his ministers, this column speculated that the potential ministerial appointees probably couldn’t pass the president’s morality test, all of which makes the president appeared not to cherish the prospect of working with ministers who he reportedly called noise makers. But in the end Buhari sent his list to Saraki.

It was an incomplete list of 21 Nigerians, three of whom are women. The president, it was reported, promised to send an additional list of names to complete the number of ministerial nominees. The actual number he would eventually appoint is still a matter of guess work. Would he nominate less than the 36, one from each state, stipulated by the constitution? Or stick to his speculated plan to reduce the number of ministers?

Nobody yet knows, not even one week since he sent his initial list of 21 names.

That Buhari could only send an incomplete list of 21 names leaving him with a shortfall of

at least 14 or 15 names depending on whether he, as potential minister of petroleum resources, is counted as one of the 36 ministers.

This means Buhari has named just over half of the number of ministers he would be working with even after the ‘long’ wait. This for me confirms this column’s conclusion in the piece featured two weeks ago that the president is indeed in a (moral?) dilemma naming his ministers. Or else, as those who have dubbed him a potential dictator have been saying, he is simply more interested in governing and issuing orders without ministers who could place a limit to the powers he can exercise. I am inclined to the former position as these ministers work at the behest and according to the interest of the president who can dismiss them no sooner than he appoints them without any consequences. Which is to say that there is hardly any way ministers can serve as checks on presidential powers in the real sense of it. Any of them not content with the president’s ways have only one option open to them: resignation- a word hardly to be found in the lexicon of Nigerian public officials.

Since Buhari released his list of nominees, attention has shifted to the potential value these persons are likely to add to his administration and the nominees’

A people that continually look back to the past for their leaders invariably doom their future

On Saraki's stewardship at the National Assemby

By Jimba Bello

I

NTERESTINGLY, it’s almost rolling to five months that Saraki took over the reins of leadership in the Senate and against all odds and through his effective and efficient leadership, he has continued to win more admirers both within and outside the Senate chambers. On the streets, a lot of Nigerians now relate with the business of legislative practices because they could see radical changes and departures from business-as-usual in the 8th Senate.

To aptly drive home his quality and high standing moral, the Senate President when constituting some of the ad-hoc committees of the Red Chamber, ensured that its not members of his ‘Like Minds Senators’, who were in the vanguard of his emergence that got the privileges of becoming chairmen of these committees.

Notably in this regard, Senator Babajide Omoworare (Osun East), who was a strong supporter of Sen. Lawan, was appointed as the Chairman Senate Committee on Rules and Business.

In the business of legislative practice, the Senate under Saraki gave due diligence to the passage of motions that have positive impact on the livelihood of an average man on the street.

Taking interest in the efficient supply of electricity to Nigerians with the intent of alleviating the plights of their constituents, the Senate under Saraki passed a motion that led to the review of electricity tariff by the National Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC). In this regard, the Dr. Sam Amadi-led NERC, has abolished the concept of bulk metering for consumers, just as the commission, through the senate’s intervention, C M Y K

removed the mandatory N700 fixed rate charged on consumers by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

Another novel effort by the Saraki-led senate was the decision by the lawmakers to personally see and listen to the tales of woes of Nigerians in the trouble states Borno and Adamawa for an on-the-spot assessment of the security situation and plight of residents in the insurgency ravaged area.

Although Senator Lawan turned down his nomination to be part of the delegation set up by the Senate President to visit the troubled Northeast, a six-man delegation to Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, was eventually led by Saraki, while other members on the trip include Senate Leader, Ali Ndume; Deputy Chief Whip; Francis Alimikhena; Danjuma Goje; Bukar Abba Ibrahim; Hassan Mohammed; Abubakar Kyari and the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Isa Galaudu.

During the visit, Saraki assured Borno people that the entire country was solidly behind them in their trying period. He said: “We have come to feel your pains, to hear what you have been going through first hand. To seek to understand the severe bloody struggle you have had to endure and go through emotionally, physically, financially and in many other ways which can hardly be put in words”.

Following up on the Borno visit, the

Regardless of the statutory breaks and vacations, the Saraki led senate has shown signs of becoming one of the most productive

contributions to the actualisation of his government’s goals. Critics believe the nominees’ list has not justified the long wait. Most of the nominees are old timers, yesterday's men and women who have always being in government circles. They are also politicians not technocrats, the criticisms go, nominated mostly on account of their contribution to the emergence of Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, respectively, as the president and ruling party. In the vanguard of these criticisms are members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. This has somewhat toned down the genuineness of the criticisms in the view of some people, leading to the perception that the criticisms are political.

But we need to dwell less on the politics of the criticism and focus more on some of its merits. A dispassionate view cannot deny the obvious fact that most of the nominees like Raji Fashola, Rotimi Amaechi and Kayode Fayemi, are people from the recent past. They are all former governors that either completed their term or lost office in the last four months. Others like Chris Ngige, General Dambazau, and no doubt the oldest on the list, Audu Ogbe, had their first incarnations in relatively older administrations. Indeed, Ogbe is being nominated as minister some thirty five years after he first featured in that capacity.

The question that has thrown up is whether Nigeria is so short of qualified persons that the president must go back thirty five years to nominate as minister a man already in semiretirement. This, for me, is the major flaw of the nominations: its clear lack of confidence in a new ‘generation’ of youthful Nigerians that can take Nigeria

Senate made another visitation, but this time to New York, United States, where a delegation-led by Saraki attended the 4th United Nations International Conference for Heads of Parliaments. The three-man delegation which included Dino Melaye and Andy Uba, during the bilateral meetings with delegations from France, Germany and the United Kingdom, reiterated the need for international support for Nigeria in her bid to end the carnage in the North-East and resettle the people.

Though the 8th Assembly is still in its morning days, regardless of the statutory breaks and vacations, the Saraki led senate has shown signs of becoming one of the most productive legislative sessions in recent years, owing to the nature and relevance of motions and bills that pass through the chamber during plenary.

Among the many impactful motions that have been moved, debated and appropriate resolutions to in the general interest of Nigerians by the 8th Senate are: Managing the Challenges of the Raining Season by Sen. Andy E. Uba (Anambra South); Fuel Tanker Tragedies on Nigeria’s Highways, by Sen. Olugbenga Ashafa (Lagos East); Motorable State of Obajana-Kabba-Isanlu-East-Ilorin RoadKabba-Iyara Iyamoye-Omu-Ekiti Road,

by Sen. Dino Melaye (Kogi West); The State of Disrepair and Total Collapse of the Ikot Epkene-Itu-Calabar Federal Highway, by Sen. Bassey A. Akpan (Akwa-Ibom North East); Landslide in parts of Isikwuato (Isu 3) and Arochukwu Local Government Area in Abia North Senatorial Zone, Abia State and other areas within the country where gully erosion is prevalent, by Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia North); and the Immediate Rehabilitation of the KanoGwarzo-Dayi Federal Highway, by Sen. Barau I. Jibrin (Kano North).

Others include: The State of the Economy: Naira Depreciation and its Implications, by Sen. Nazif Suleiman

into the twenty first century.

Although this follows an established pattern of selfreplication in which former public office holders take on new public roles after vacating the old, Nigeria must be forwardlooking in their choice of leaders.

What’s the latest count of former governors, including the president of the senate himself, that are now senators? The only point to add is that, in the present instance the nominees’ list seems more a reflection of the limited range of the president’s own circle of friends or acquaintances than anything else. This reading of things is justified by what we have been told now and again about the president’s desire to work only with those he knows or can trust. He must have come under severe party pressure and been hard put to settle for these known ‘devils’ rather than for the ‘angels’ he does not know but whom his party might still have ‘smuggled’ on him. Otherwise, Buhari’s list parades a galaxy of very capable, experienced and honest hands that can serve Nigeria well.

But while the youths would be expected to up their game and try to justify the confidence reposed in them when put in positions of trust, Buhari (a product of the old school) still would need to expand his knowledge of the emergent and emerging generations of Nigerian youths and begin to enlist them more in his effort to build a better Nigeria. It is to them the future belongs. A people that continually look back to the past for their leaders invariably doom their future.

This copy was sent in before PMB released the last bit of the ministerial nominees' list.

(Bauchi North); Flood and Erosion Disasters in Awka, Isuanaocha, Obosi and other Communities of Anambra Central,

by Sen. Uche Ekwunife (Anambra Central); The Ban on Nigeria Agricultural Exports Products by European Union (EU), by Sen. Francis A. Alimikhena (Edo North); Land and Water Resources Crisis and the Menace of Typha Grass in Hadejia-Jama’are-Komaciuga-Yobe Basin, by Sen. Muhammed U. Shittu (Jigawa North East); Danger posed to rural bank customers by the bank verification exercise, by Sen. Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti South); Unfair trade practices of Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) in Nigeria, by Sen. Samuel Egwu (Ebonyi North); and Harassment of the Senate, Senators and their spouses and National Assembly Management by security agencies of government, by Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East), among others.

Keeping an eye on the economy, the Senator Rafiu Ibrahim’s motion, entitled: “Indiscriminate Use and Abuse of Waivers for Rice Importation”, triggered the constitution of an Ad hoc Committee chaired by Senator Adamu Aliero, to investigate and determine the extent of the illegality perpetrated by the immediate past administration in the import of rice and to suggest ways through which the Federal Government can recover the humongous amounts lost to the unwholesome practice. The committee is already sitting and taking evidence from witnesses.

Sensing the leadership grip and legislative shrewdness of Saraki, foreign ambassadors, government institutions, corporate bodies, various groups and associations have been paying courtesy visits on the President of the Senate since the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly on June 9.

•Mr. Bello, a political analyst, wrote from Abuja.

20 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

Rampaging rustlers hit Niger village •Survivors recall ordeal

By Wole Mosadomi, Minna

D

AYS after, residents of the tiny community of Allawa in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State are still trying to exorcise the sad and indeed nightmarish memory of September 24. Reason?

On the midnight of the fateful day, gunmen believed to be cattle rustlers invaded the village, jolted the inhabitants from their sleep and unleashed terror on them. In the invasion that lasted just about two hours some unfortunate villagers were sent to their early graves and many others were injured.

The survivors have since been recounting their bitter experiences just as they find it difficult forgetting the horror of that night of terror. The development is one that shocked not only the people of the village but the entire people of Niger State.

The exact number of the invaders, later identified as rustlers, could not be immediately ascertained as the mission was carried out under the cover of darkness.

During the invasion, dangerous weapons, including sophisticated firearms, bows and arrows, daggers, cutlasses and charms were freely used on the villagers who were caught unawares.

Sudden invasion Besides those killed, properties worth thousands of Naira were destroyed as the invaders set some houses, shops and other valuables on fire while their evil operation lasted.

In the aftermath of the sudden invasion, many of the villagers have fled the community to neighbouring villages where they are presently counting their losses.

Until the recent invasion, the community had for long been noted as a haven for peace, as the people had nothing to fear from anybody or from themselves. All that changed when the villagers started noticing the movement and presence of strange people in their midst but could not challenge them.

Some of the survivors who spoke with Vanguard Metro, VM, said the midnight invasion was very much unexpected.

Agonies of the victims Malam Zakari Yawu, 40 years, a labourer in the village, is one of the lucky survivors who narrated his bitter experience to our correspondent. He said *Malam Audu Godia...attacked by the rustlers Malam Zakari Yawu... had his left arm chopped off by the invaders he was shocked when he suddenly woke up that fateful Senator David Umaru repre- still tense. A pointer to this is the midnight to see senting Niger East District of the fact that economic activities in the some men in his State while on a sympathy visit area are yet to pick up as most room. to those affected, called on the residents who fled the community “There were government to show more concern are yet to return back to their about 10 of them on the issue which he said has abodes. that invaded my However, the state Police become a recurring decimal in the room that night.

Command through its spokesarea in the past few months.

They didn’t deAt the Minna General Hospi- man, ASP Bala Elkana, said semand for anything tal, the Senator commiserated curity in and around the villages but only descended Umar Sad...with machete cuts on his head with some of the victims, includ- have been beefed up with teams on me, dragged me ing Umar Sad, the14-year-old son of both the Army and Police out of my room in of the village head of the Village keeping vigil. commandeered my father to the dead of the night, beat me He said only six lives, includwho had several machete cuts on lead them to the settlement of mercilessly and ended the attack ing that of a Police Inspector, were him. the rustlers which he did, not by amputating my hand with a The Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar lost, contrary to the inflated figure knowing that he had been cutlass. All my pleas to them to Farouk Bahago, has also visited earlier reported by some media marked by the rustlers.” spare me further pain fell on deaf the victims and pleaded with organisations. He also said the According to him, ears as they seem desperate to members of the community to invasion was not carried out by they(rustlers) must have invadterminate my life or to maim anyremain calm and not embark on the Boko Haram sect but by ed our village few days later as body that got in their way. I could any reprisal attack in order not to cattle rustlers. a reprisal attack during which realise from their conversation Peace is, however, gradually recause more havoc in the area. they descended on my father that they were Fulani men. I must turning to the village as at the As at the time of going to Press, and killed him. confess to you that it was a the situation in Allawa village is time of going to press.

One of the survivors who painful experience which I don’t sustained severe injuries from like to recall again,” Yawu machete cuts, narrated as he sobbed.

Malam Audu A true picture of what could Godia, said he have likely led to the invasion of was sitting side the village could be deduced by side with a from Malam Ibrahim Kusheriki police man, while narrating his own relaxing after experience which was made his meal when more painful on account of the some Fulani gruesome murder of his father m e n during the attack. descended on Ibrahim who is a staff of the them and Federal University of Technoloinflicted gy, Minna said: “My father is the machete Secretary of the Vigilante group wounds on in our village. When the Army their bodies. stormed our village on the 19th “That was of last month(September), they the last thing I could recall until few hours later when I They didn’t decame back to life in the mand for anything hospital,” he but only descended lamented.

While the on me, dragged me dead have out of my room in been buried, those who the dead of the were seriously night, beat me injured were taken to the mercilessly and i n n a ended the attack by M General amputating my Hospital where are hand with a cutlass they receiving treatment and are recuperating.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

— 21

Companies with pioneer status not exempted from taxation —NIPC

By Babajide Komolafe

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HE Nigeria Investment Promotion Council, NIPC, has said that companies granted pioneer status by the federal government are not exempted from paying taxes Director of NIPC, Mr. Amos Sakaba disclosed this yesterday in Lagos, adding, about 450 companies have been granted pioneer status since the inception of the Council, with 35 percent of them in the manufacturing sector. He spoke at a forum on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria organised by the Olisa Agbakoba Legal and the Council.

Reacting to recent criticism of the federal government policy of granting pioneer status incentives to some companies, Sakaba said, “Lately there have been a lot of controversies about pioneer status. Pioneer status is a legal concession by government of Nigeria or by any other government of the world, to support growth of businesses in the heat of challenges of starting a business.

VISIT: From left: Mr. Muda Yusuf, Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Ms. Pirjo SuomelaChowdhury, Ambassador of Finland to Nigeria and Chief (Mrs.) Nike Akande, CON, Deputy President , LCCI, during a courtesy visit by the Ambassador to the Chamber in Lagos.

to move into. And we use this pioneer status as an investment Pioneer promotion strategy.

“Pioneer status does not mean status you don’t pay other taxes, you It is usually given to help the still pay your Pay As You Earn companies to stabilise and (PAYE). If you are in oil consolidate and almost every business, you still pay royalties, country has the policy of you still pay VAT, education tax, pioneer status. For Nigeria, the you pay all of them.

And the Federal Inland NIPC is the body responsible for implementing the policy on Revenue Service will confirm to you that the people who are behalf of the President.

And what we do is to first more compliant in paying those identify the priority sectors, the taxes are the ones that have sectors which we want investors pioneer status, because they are been supported and they know they can lose,” he said.

He explained that pioneer status is also 134.60 0.10 not given to a company but to a $3,129.00 55.00 product or a service.

“For example $13.96 -0.28 concessions are not given to individual companies but to a 50.01 0.15 sector. The same

47.35

0.25

CURRENCY

BUYING

DOLLAR

196.98 196.48 301.2213 301.9898 222.9468 223.5156 204.0183 204.5388 1.6314 1.6356 0.3204 0.3304 275.9459 276.6499 30.9841 30.0636 52.2404 52.3737 276.6258 277.3315 29.8832 29.9594

POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL SDR KRONA

CENTRAL 196.98 302.7583 224.0844 205.0593 1.6397 0.3404 277.3539 31.1431 52.507 78.0373 30.0357

CBN Exchange Rate as at 13 /10 /15

We should not be looking at pioneer as a bonanza

thing with pioneer status, pioneer is to a product or a service, you don’t give a company pioneer, you isolate the product, and that is what you give pioneer to. And as far as the production of the product is concerned you are enjoying tax holiday, and that is separate from profit from other activities.

And this is where people are getting it wrong.

“We should not be looking at pioneer as a bonanza, pioneer is designed to make up for

those deficiencies we have in our system, to assist investors, that in spite of these challenges, government is interested in your matter, government is supportive of your matter.

For example, people query why we give pioneer status to hotels, but the truth is that hotels are very expensive in Nigeria. To establish a hotel you need to spend money on power, security, and water etc, all these things are taken for granted in

other countries.

“Pioneer status is also given as assurance that government is supporting that investment.

Even banks these days, prefer funding or giving finance to companies that have pioneer status, because it shows up in your balance sheet immediately.

Once you have pioneer status, it says, for the next three years, you should keep your profit, to expand, you don’t use it to share dividend but to reinvest and expand.”

Customs boss warns importers, agents on under-declaration

By Godwin Oritse & Ifeyinwa Obi

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HE Comptroller- General of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Hameed Ali (Rtd) has threatened to jail any importer or Customs agent that do not give full disclosure of their imports.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting at the Apapa Area 1 Customs Command, Ali called on all agents and importers to operate within the laws regulating international trade even while following due process in the clearance of their cargoes.

Hamid has however warned such unscrupulous agents to

desist from the act of cutting corners, saying that it will no longer be business as usual.

He warned that all operators must follow the rules as they are, and that if this is done, 99 percent of problems at the ports would have been wiped out.

“I am a stickler in the application of laws , with my background in the military for 27 years, I know what it is to enforce laws and what it is for people to run away from the laws.

We have discovered that some of you, not all of you, do cut corners for whatever reasons, but if you cut corners, and as people in this business of

making sure that the right duty is paid at the right time, we will ensure that corners are not cut at any given time” “Some of you, the not so careful ones, under-value, I have been to the scanning section and I have seen how you falsify declaration of items, I have told my colleagues in the service that the days of corruption are gone , no giver or receiver will be allowed to go scot free, they are all culpable and I will hold this to my heart” he warned The CGC urged agents to carry out proper declaration , warning them that there is no hiding place unless they do the right thing.

22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

,

If you have insurance policy with any insurance company, you should let your next-of-kin or the beneficiaries know about it, to enable easy access to claims in the eventuality that you are no longer around

, INSURAN

Wish for a good retirement?

Subscribe to CPS

T

have a good retirement life, you need to subscribe to the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, being regulated by the National Pension Commission, PenCom. Accordingly, if you are employed by a state govenment, ensure that your state implements the CPS. In essence, state governments must comply with the Pension Act, 2014, and implement the CPS in their various states and ensure that all pension monies are remitted to workers Retirement Savings Account, RSAs. According to the Head, Research & Corporate Strategy Department, of the National Pension Commission, PenCom, Mr. Umaru Aminu, the Pension Reform Act, 2014 mandates states and local governments to implement the CPS. O

Pension benefits Aminu noted that 26 states have enacted the pension reform law while only seven states have commenced full implementation.

Also, Managing Director of Premium Pension Limited, Mr. Wilson Ideva, said that there is need for state and local governments to implement the CPS and put an end to the trend where only the governors are assured of pension benefits when they leave office.

Ideva said, “Many of these

state governors are well made after they leave office, while workers in their states are left to wallow in penury, which is tantamount to man’s inhumanity to man.

According to Ideva, the action or inaction of state governments that have not yet signed the CPS into Law is inhibiting the domestication of the scheme in the states, while companies, local or foreign and even multinationals that have failed to adopt the scheme are endangering the future of the mostly Nigerian staff.

Ideva said that lack of awareness is even noticeable among the supposedly enlightened in the society, adding, “This situation is an offshoot of the initial skepticism that greeted the pension reform in 2004. The old scheme had virtually collapsed; accumulating a deficit of more than N2 trillion and cases of corruption were rampant. The word ‘Pension’ as a consequence acquired a pejorative connotation.

“It is against this backdrop that pension operators are now saddled with the responsibility of clearing this cobweb of ignorance about the workings of the new scheme. The new pension scheme has gone through the teething stages and has come to stay.

It is working but there is still enormous work to be done to address some observed challenges and ensure that all intended.

Let your next-of-kin know of your insurance Stories By Rosemary Onuoha

succession and sustainability.

Mr. Olusoji Majekodunmi,

I

F you have any insurance policy with any insurance company, you should let your next-of-kin or the beneficiaries know about it, to enable easy access to claims in the eventuality that you are no longer around.

Even in business, a succession plan is required and should be carried out at the right time, so also should insurance policyholders inform their family members about any existing insurance.

Such knowledge will always serve as solutions to solving major problems often faced when claims are being pursued or by family businesses towards

Most businesses have failed after the original founder due to lack of deliberate and systematic plan in the transfer of the ownership of the business from one family to the next

past President of Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria said that most family businesses have not been able to outlive their founders, due to their failure to make deliberate and systematic plan before their death.

Majekodunmi said, “Most businesses have failed after the original founder due to lack of deliberate and systematic plan in the transfer of the ownership of the business from one family to the next.”

He also identified lack of adequate grooming of successor(s) in the original founder ’s business line, through proper vocational or professional education as a challenge.

Insurance consumers to meet insurers

A

lmond Productions Limited, producers of 'Almond Finance and Wealth Report' on television and 'Wetin Insurance Dey Do Sef' on Naija FM has concluded plans to host the 2015 Insurance Consumer’s Forum (ICF).

The Insurance Consumer’s Forum which started in 2013 is a platform for interaction between insurers and the insured for better service delivery.

A statement from the organiser, Faith Ughwode, said the forum with the theme: Customers Relationship and Management in the Insurance Industry, is scheduled to hold

on Wednesday 28th of October at Lagoon Restaurant by 10:00am.

The event will be chaired by Sir M.O.Oyegunle, a thoroughbred professional and the Managing Director of Lakeg Nigeria Limited.

The theme paper will be delivered by Mrs. Ekaete Augustine-Edet, a hospitality consultant and facilitator on Customer Service and Business Etiquette, Enterprise Development Center, Pan African University. Discussion will be led by Mr. Larry Ademeso, Managing Director Custodian Life. Others are Mr. Olarenwaju Ojuola, Head,

Strategy and Corporate Planning, Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, Mrs Ogechi Nwosu-Orue, Head of Insurance NSCDC Abuja and a host of others.

The No-Hold-Barred which is consumers open forum will focus on the following areas, high rate of fake insurance papers: the pains of the insuring public; training and retraining of insurance agents and marketers for the sake of the customers; simplifying claims processes and procedures as well as making the compulsory group life insurance work, employees duties.

WORKSHOP: From left: Andrew S. Nevin, Partner-Advisory Services, PWC; Victor Olaiya, GM, Venture Relations, Exxonmobil; Taiwo Oyedele, Partner, Tax and Regulatory Services, PWC and Joseph Iruafemi, Co-founder, Founders Institution, during a one-day media capacity development workshop organised for business editors and correspondents, by Pricewaterhouse Corporation, at Protea Hotel, Ikeja. Photo: Ovadje Elliot.

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

He noted that succession issues are not limited to the Nigeria’s family businesses alone, but is of universal appeal.

He added that family businesses, which may either, be sole trading or vocational businesses, including professional practices which are of relatively recent origin, constitute an important group of enterprises within the small to medium scale sector.

He said, “When most business founders become successful in the businesses, out of the fear of their own backgrounds, they

often educate their children in exotic disciplines unrelated to their line of business, thereby lending credence to the “qualified but not suitable syndrome, a veritable panacea for succession failure.

Panacea for succession “This kind of education fails to inculcate into the would-be successor, the dream, passion, discipline and sometimes the integrity of the founder, which are his/her personal attributes,

,

CE & YOU

and which are non-transferable. In essence, people or entrepreneurs should establish a clear and meaningful strategic development process for easy succession with a view to sustaining their business; accordingly, entrepreneurs must act proactively by crafting a succession plan early enough.

“Proper values must also be instilled in their successor. I believe that this knowledge is essential to project the ethos of sustainability of businesses with good corporate governance structure entrenched in any business,” he said.

WORLD ELDERLY DAY: From left: Executive Secretary of Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria, PenOp, Susan Oranye, with Dr. Kola Adeyina, during the free treatment for 1,000 elderly people in commemoration of the World Elderly Day celebration in Lagos.

Stanbic IBTC Trustees introduces educational trust

S

TANBIC IBTC Trustees Limited, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, has launched an educational trust product to assist parents and guardians provide sound education for their children and wards.

The Stanbic IBTC Educational Trust (SET), which became operative in April 2015, offers numerous long-term benefits which assure beneficiaries of a brighter future via education and training.

The product is focused on ensuring that the education of children is not truncated due to lack of financing, and to ensure that the desire of parents or guardians to fulfill their dreams of giving their children or wards a sound education is attained.

Through the service, parents have an opportunity to make contributions towards funding the education of their children–whether it is primary, secondary, tertiary or even post-graduate education.

The client has the option of choosing a preferred plan with the funds easily accessed when required and are professionally managed by experienced investment managers. In addition, there is provision for direct payment of tuition and other fees to schools; a measure that negates any likely diversion of funds. Also in place is insurance coverage via an education protection plan to cover death or incapacitation of the settlor.

The Stanbic IBTC Educational Trust was conceptualized in recognition of the strategic role

education plays in laying a solid foundation for growing future leaders, stated Binta Max-Gbinije, Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Trustees Limited, adding that education is essential for both individual accomplishment and socio-economic development.

She noted that a comfortable future life is directly tied to proper planning and investment, emphasizing that helping children attain their innate potential is a sure-footed path to a brighter future “We are confident that the Stanbic IBTC Educational Trust is the right model to accelerate the pace of change in Nigeria’s educational sector. We believe that the product will also help to drive significant improvements in school enrolment and retention as parents take advantage of the trust to deal with the challenge of paying school fees,” Max-Gbinije said.

She described Stanbic IBTC Group as a financial solutions provider that helps move people towards their goals and remains a strategic partner to help actualize Nigeria’s huge economic potential. Stanbic IBTC Educational Trust is available to people both in the formal and informal sectors of the economy.

Stanbic IBTC Trustees Limited (SITL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc and is part of a fiduciary team that has administered trusts for 35 years.

The company is able to leverage the intellectual capital and international experience of Standard Bank’s multi-jurisdictional fiduciary team.

— 23

Such knowledge will always serve as solution to solving major problems often faced when claims are being pursued or by family businesses towards succession and sustainability

,

PenOp, others partner on free healthcare for elderly

P

ENSION Fund Operators of Nigeria, the umbrella association of all pension fund operators in the country has provided free treatment for 1000 elderly people for various levels of ailments in Lagos.

The initiative, code-named Project Gray 2.0. is part of PenOps Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in celebrating the World Elderly Day. The week-long exercise saw about 1000 elderly people treated of various ailments such as prostate cancer, hernia, breast lump, diabetics, and general surgeries conducted by specialist surgeons, gynecologists, oncologists, nurses and other medical experts.

PenOp collaborated with a non-government organisation, Orange Health Initiative and Legus Foundation, owners of Veteran Hospital to provide free medical treatment for the elderly people of 60 years and above.

In a statement by PenOps Executive Secretary, Susan Oranye, the retirees on the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, are majorly the beneficiaries of this noble initiative as they expressed appreciation to pension operators’ involvement in the course that has put smiles on their faces.

According to one of the retirees who declined his name mentioned in the print noted that the new pension scheme couldn’t have been better.

He said even when his pension has been paid regularly by his PFA they have gone out of their way in giving them free treatment of this magnitude.

For him it is rare in Nigeria’s 55 years history to have such gesture from the system. Our source who was diagnosed of diabetes said; “My sincere appreciation goes to PenOp for inviting me to partake in this programme.

I have been diagnosed of diabetes and the doctors have told me what to do next, which of course, the organizers are going to take financial responsibility for the entire treatment. I am glad and I give thanks to God for making it happen right in my presence. It couldn’t have been better,” he said.

Retirement and good health PFAs have, so far, sent over 250 elderly people in their registers to obtain free medics during the exercise, the course that received commendation from the retirees under the CPS. With the target of over 1000 patients to be treated during the programme many others are on their way to partake, according to the PenOp spokesperson.

Oranye added that the significance of Project Gray 2.0 cannot be overemphasized as it focuses on the health and wellbeing of the elderly. Operators understand that having a pensions to fall back on in retirement and good health is the main focus of many elderly men and women.

It is this commitment to the wellbeing of old people that led to PenOp’s collaboration with the Orange Health Initiative in ensuring that these people have unhindered access to medical checkups and treatments for this week.

She said; “The Project Gray 2.0 is an initiative that celebrates the World’s Elders’ Day. Now, it is important that as a country and as a people we take care of our elderly, make sure that in retirement they can, at least, maintain a decent standard of living. This is the ethos that guides the pension system in the country.”

Oranye added that “PenOp is exceedingly excited about this programme because this project marks the kickoff first Geriatric Hospital in Nigeria and this is something we are passionate about.”

Acknowledging the creativity of the Orange Health Initiative headed by Dr. KunleMegbuwawon, she said the NGO is working very hard to focus on the welfare and the healthcare of the elderly and that the operators are keen to work with them.

Send comments & enquiries to insuranceandyou@yahoo.com

24 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

Consultations for new electricity tariffs

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PRESENTATION: From left: Hon. Desmond Elliot, Member representing Surulere Constituency 1, Lagos State House of Assembly; Chibueze Chikuwoti Gift, winner of a brand new Hyundai Elantra in the Gulder Ultimate Promo and Emmanuel Agu, Marketing Manager, Gulder, 33, Life, More and Stout category, Nigerian Breweries Plc., at the prize presentation of a brand new car to the winner of the Gulder Ultimate Promo star prize, held at the corporate headquarters of Nigerian Breweries in Lagos.

GTBank, AFD launch N3bn growth initiative for industries

By Peter Egwuatu & Nkiruka Nnorom

G

UARANTY Trust Bank, GTBank Plc has partnered with Agence Française de Développement (AFD) to launch the N3 billion Ariz Portfolio Guarantee Scheme, an initiative designed to boost financing for business start-ups and development projects in Nigeria.

According to a statement by the bank, “The partnership with GTBank, which is the first in Anglophone Africa, will support the growth of Small Medium Enterprises, SMEs, by providing a risk sharing mechanism on loan advances.”

The Ariz Portfolio Guarantee Scheme provides banks, private equity investors and other financial institutions a safer platform to increase participation in SME financing by providing foreign guarantees to local credit facilities advanced to SMEs.

Volume of guarantees Since its inception in 2008, the Ariz Portfolio Guarantee Scheme has expanded to over 20 francophone countries in Africa, and has teamed up with more than 40 partner banks worldwide.

The scheme has seen a steady rise in the number and volume of guarantees allocated (up 80 per cent annually over the past three years) and an increasing number of companies have been able to develop each year, with thousands of jobs created.

According to the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Denys Gauer, “Small and Medium enterprises (SMEs)

have a key role as drivers of economic growth and employment. However, despite the widespread presence of SMEs in Nigeria, the sector faces major obstacles such as the limited access to bank financing, mostly because of the risk factor associated with SMEs..”

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Segun Agbaje, Managing Director/CEO, GTBank, said “empowering small & medium scale enterprises remains pivotal to the sustenance of growth and development in emerging economies across the world.”

Demutualisation: NSE Chapel Hill, RMB advisers

By Bisola Ologunde & Nnenna Joseph

N

IGERIAN Stock Exchange has announced the appointment of Chapel Hill Denham (CHD) and Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) as financial advisers for demutualisation.

The NSE said in a statement that the choice of both companies was made following a rigorous and extensive selection process, and receipt of expression of interest (EOI) in line with the Exchange's Request for Proposal (RFP) process which began in March 11, 2014. According to the Exchange, 13 proposals were received, out of which the consortia of Chapel Hill and RMB was selected.

As part of the EOI, potential financial advisors (FAs) were required to express their interests as a consortium of one international and one Nigerian investment bank, where at least one party of the consortium had participated in the demutualization of a securities exchange as lead adviser.

Speaking on the selection, Chief

appoints financial

Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, said the selection of the companies is in line with the Exchange's commitment towards achieving the demutualisation of the NSE in a methodical and transparent fashion.

He noted that the step is pivotal to a professional and successful conversion of the Exchange from a member-owned mutual organization to shareholderowned public limited liability company that aligns with global best practices.

"We have implemented a number of initiatives to strengthen and improve governance at the Exchange.

This demutualisation process will contribute to the sustenance and enhancement of our governance,' he concluded.

Also commenting, the CEO, RMB Nigeria and Regional Head for West Africa, Mr. Michael Larbie, expressed RMB's willingness to assist the Exchange with the demutualisation. "We believe the demutualisation will further strengthen the NSE's position as a leading exchange in Africa.

HE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has come to the realisation that electricity tariffs approved by NERC represent a contract between the electricity distribution companies, DISCOs, and their customers.

There have been court actions initiated by some customers in protest at the introduction of the Multi-Year Tariff Order, MYTO, 2.1 for the period 1 April 2015 to December 2018 as a replacement for the existing MYTO 2 for the period 1 June 2012 to 31 May 2017. The court actions seek to affirm the principle that a valid and existing contract between two parties cannot be changed without the consent of both parties to the contract.

NERC has given orders that the DISCOs should hold consultation meetings with their customers with respect to proposals for new electricity tariffs.

The current tariff review process started in June 2015 when Ikeja Electricity Distribution Plc, IKEDC, placed a newspaper advert indicating its intention to arrive at cost reflective tariffs for all classes of its customers.

In response, I wrote a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of IKEDC requesting that the company should publish its audited accounts and financial statements for the year 2014 given the purpose and intent of Section 76 subsection 2 of the Electric Power Sector Reform, EPSR, Act 2005.

Financial statements My letter was not acknowledged and IKEDC’s financial statements have not been published.

However, I have attended the consultation meetings held by IKEDC on 2 September and 29 September 2015. At both meetings and on IKEDC’s website, IKEDC made promises on its proposed capital expenditure and proposed metering investments over the next few years.

There was however no information from IKEDC on the N11.70 billion loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the repayment of which would be built into the tariff from 2016 to 2024.

The weighted average cost of capital employed is an important component of electricity tariffs approved by NERC. If the public does not know the capital employed by and the costs of the business activities of

IKEDC now and in succeeding years, how is the public to confirm that IKEDC has kept the promises it made when it submitted its application for tariff review?

NERC in its invitation to the public to attend a consultation meeting scheduled for Abuja on 13 October 2015 with respect to the current tariff review stated its intention to ensure accountability and transparency in the tariff determination process. What is the meaning of accountability to NERC if the accounts and financial statements of the electricity distribution companies are not available to the public? Tariffs include charges for generation and transmission. The information available from Forte Oil Plc accounts indicates that its investments in Geregu Power Plc

NERC has given orders that the DISCOs should hold consultation meetings with their customers with respect to proposals for new electricity tariffs yield a profit. Transnational Corporation Plc also makes a profit from its investment in Ughelli Power. Generation was indicated by IKEDC as representing about 60% of the tariff.

If this component is profitable at current tariff levels, does the public have any reason to believe that distribution is being carried out at a loss?

IKEDC has proposed that for a residential customer with a single-phase meter, the energy charge component of the tariff should be N19.61 per kilo-Watt hour and the fixed charge component should be N375 for 2016 in contrast with the current energy charge of N13.61 per kilo-Watt hour and a fixed charge of N750.

For the average consumer, this would result in an increase of upwards of 35 percent over existing bills received from the IKEDC. Is there anything in the public domain that can provide justification for such an increase?

DR. AKINTOLA OMIGBODUN

omigbodunaa@yahoo.com

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015—25

DIARY Cyber Security in Banking Conference, 2015 Indaba Hotel, Johannesburg October 21 – 22, 2015

Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2015 Cape Town, South Africa November 8-12, 2015

Preview Could this keyboard be the future of inputing?

The satellite link that promises to improve Nigeria’s computer literacy •As SES, Softwire partner on e-learning

By Prince Osuagwu

T

HE VK200 KEYFOB projects a keyboard on any flat surface. You can type away accompanied by simulated keyboard sound feedback with its built in display screen showing your key presses in real time for faster typing.

It really is true future magic at its best. You’ll be turning heads the moment you pull this from your pocket and use it to compose an e-mail on almost all Bluetooth enabled devices, computers or laptops.

With 78 keys and a full size QWERTY layout the laser virtual keyboard approaches typing speeds of a standard keyboard in a size not larger than a matchbook.

C M Y K

A

S far back as 2006 Nigeria had started getting increasingly worried about how modern services could be taken to rural and remotest areas of the country that have no commercial attraction for service providers Besides telecommunications, which the country as at then discovered to be a money spinner and obviously strong economic booster, e-learning was also part of the services that needed to be transported to rural areas, particularly as this would improve the country’s computer literacy level.

Accordingly, government later that year created a Universal Services Provision Fund, USPF, which duty was to facilitate the achievement of national policy goals for universal access and universal service information and communication technologies (ICTs) in rural, unserved and underserved areas of Nigeria.

However, even with that, total connection or coverage of the

country was still far off. For instance, the USPF, recently did a study of the unconnected rural Nigeria, after dividing the country across 207 clusters from the six geo-political zones and discovered that an estimated 36.8million people living in those clusters are cut off from whatever transformation technology has brought to their urban counterparts.

The sector attracts well over 24 percent of Foreign Direct Investment and contributes over 8.5 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP

According to the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, the total number of subscribers as of July this year is over 150 million while teledensity has risen to about 110.

In the same vein, mobile internet subscription between the four GSM operators has risen to over 95 million; the sector attracts well over 24 percent of Foreign Direct Investment and contributes over 8.5 percent to the country ’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP. What this means is that the over 200 rural communities and their 36.8 million inhabitants are not part of these booties. While this could be a major national issue, it however provides a direction that the rural communities are where the next frontier of growth will come from.

To track this growth, the government through the USPF developed a public private partnership model to implement the access Programme it created.

The projects, which are grantsbased would be implemented

through the provision of direct access to ICT services like elearning and school knowledge projects by end users. They are expected to bridge the digital and information gap that exist in the rural areas of Nigeria and provide more e-learning facilities to the underserved areas.

Private partners One of the private partners approved by the USPF is Softwire Digital Solutions, a Nigerian company providing IT and capacity building services.

However, to accelerate connection and provide services that would quickly leverage the rural dweller, the company has announced a partnership deal with a renowned satellite operator, SES to be able to use its NSS-10 satellite for the deployment of this ICT project, under the financing of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF).

Continues on page 30

26—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

Yudala seals YUBOSS deal with Airtel, Access bank

By Prince Osuagwu

E

VER since composite online and offline retail chain, Yudala, debuted, the country’s e commerce sector has not remained the same. The fortune of the sector has continued to soar. Besides posting good returns, the sector has also continued to receive supports from corporate institutions that throw investments into the market with confidence.

Just at the weekend, Yudala also announced a landmark partnership agreement with foremost financial institution, Access Bank Plc and telecommunications giants, Airtel on the implementation of its new initiative tagged YUBOSS, YUBOSS is an entrepreneurship scheme set up by Yudala to build a league of emerging entrepreneurs and generate creative employment for millions of Nigerians by business mentorship sessions.

The membership will alson allow them become part-owners of Yudala franchise stores and receiving attractive commissions among other wide range of benefits Speaking during the contract signing ceremony in Lagos, Executive Director, Personal Banking

Facebook is about to get more emotional

BY LAJU IREN

C

at Access Bank, Mr. Victor Etiokwu who represented the Group MD, Mr.Herbert Wigwe described YUBOSS as a game-changer which is set to unlock prosperity for millions of Nigerians, while taking the nation’s economy to greater heights at this critical period.

He said: “The Yudala model – a fusion of online and offline retail – is one that has captured the imagination of people and the retail market. Right from the day the company was launched, there has been a huge reaction in the market place, in view of the novel idea behind its conception.

Nationwide network When the discussions on YUBOSS commenced between both organizations, I was excited because this is an initiative that is set to empower millions of Nigerian youths and by extension, contribute to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy.

I am not in doubt that this scheme will be a huge success, especially considering Yudala’s nationwide network of stores, the calibre of

renowned entrepreneurs and investors backing Yudala and the drive and expertise exhibited by the entire team.”

On his part, Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya emphasized the strategic nature of Airtel’s partnership with Yudala, which according to him, will undoubtedly raise the profile of the YUBOSS scheme by offering members a sound telecoms network and high speed data access on 3G network. He noted that contemporary society is increasingly reliant on information as a gateway to wealth creation – a requirement Airtel sufficiently fulfils with its broadband wireless services and high speed internet access which will go a long way in empowering YUBOSS members to achieve the ultimate target of creating wealth for themselves and being their own bosses.

YUBOSS is targeted at smart Nigerians: undergraduates, postgraduate students, unemployed and under-employed individuals, housewives, who have the drive and ambition to earn money and be their

Why Social media threatens traditional media

By Agbolade Omowole

I

N the 21st century, things are changing so fast that being relevant is a function of embracing the recent strides in technology. Organizations are beginning to see the importance of leveraging recent technologies such as social media. With the meteoric rise of social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, many people have claimed that we are entering a new age in which news must be delivered in 140 characters or fewer.

The print newspaper was a major innovation several years ago, but the birth of digital media may pose the C M Y K

greatest threat and can even lead to the death of traditional or print newspaper.

According to a recent research, the number of years it took to reach 50 million users is given as: telephone – 74 years, Radio 38 years. TV 13 years. Internet 4 years. Ipod 3 years.

Facebook 4,5 months! Top newspaper companies in Nigeria know this so they are on social media and have their own website because of the paradigm shift to digital communication. Experts say that the 20th century was like 25 years of change at today’s rate of change. In the next 25 years we’ll make four times the progress you saw in the 20th century.

And we’ll make 20,000 years of progress in the 21st century, which is almost a thousand times more technical change than we saw in the 20th century. Specifically, computation is growing exponentially. The one exponential trend that people are aware of is called Moore’s law Newspaper printing companies stand the chance of extinction because people are spending more time on the internet lately. News organizations have repeatedly dictated that the future of journalism is bleak.

They attribute this to the continual dumbing down stories in order to interest a population with an evershrinking attention span. In a country like Nigeria, some bloggers make as much as 4 million naira monthly from their blogs whereas some journalist make less than 10 percent of that.

Other reasons why people will gravitate away from printed newspaper is because online content is fast and easy to Gradually, we finding it easier to read online than to read on a printed newspaper.

You can copy pictures from a content gotten online and distribute it via social media networking site.

AN you remember when you first came in contact with the ‘Like’ button on Facebook? If your first encounter was in response to a heart warming post, you probably did not mind clicking ‘Like.’ But if it was a heart-wrenching post, it must have been quite awkward to like it. However, as you got more conversant with Facebook it, it did not seem as insensitive as it used to.

S o m e other times however, the reverse is the case. You might be so in love with a post that you more than like it.

Emotions are such a complex thing that a simple button doesn’t always cut it. Users have been saying this for years, and it seems that Facebook has finally listened.

This week, Facebook users in Ireland and Spain will be able to express a fuller range of emotions online with a set of new expressions and animated emojis.

There’s a throbbing heart for “Love,” a fuming face for “Angry,” a teary-eyed “Sad,” a laughing “Haha,” a surprised “Wow” and an eyes-closed smile for “Yay.” Facebook’s product manager, Mr. Chris Cox told international media that the company studied which comments and reactions are most commonly and universally expressed across Facebook, then worked to design an experience around them that was elegant and fun.”

Although the ‘reactions’ as Facebook called them, are a great improvement from the simple ‘Like’ button and comment section, not all users will be satisfied.

Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg disclosed recently that a ‘Dislike’ button is one of the most asked for features, it is not a feature the company would like to employ. He didn’t want to turn Facebook into a place where people voted posts up or down.

Weco receives NetApp professional service certification

S

YSTEMS Integration company in Nigeria, Weco Systems International Limited has attained the status of a NetApp Professional Services Certified Partner (PSCP) for Clustered Data ONTAP, reinforcing its capability to sell, architect, deploy and support NetApp solutions with a commitment to Offering services based on NetApp service delivery best practices.

Netapp a world class leader in Data Management and Storage Solutions awards the PSCP Certification to partners and systems integrators who have demonstrated expertise in selling NetApp solutions through partner branded implementation and professional services. The certification lets technology customers know that their NetApp solutions provider has the expertise to handle anything from implementation, managing operations to transitioning to the cloud. ” According to the Executive Director Weco Systems, Mr Nnamdi Onyebuchi, “our data centre practice has been on the growth path over the years hence earning the NetApp Professional Services Certification.

This is an important step in our drive to deepen the strong partnership we already have with a strategic Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) like NetApp and our commitment to remaining on top of our game even as we continue to deliver valuable business outcomes to our customers.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015 —27

28 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

Enyeama:

Another look at Oliseh's managerial skills

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

C

ERTAINLY the dust raised by the sudden retirement of Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama from Nigerian senior national team will linger for a while.

Already many commentators have been discussing the issue which took place in far away Belgium during the double header international friendlies against Congo and Cameroon.

There were conflicting accounts of what led to the altercation but before going into their merits and demerits, it is instructive to state that the whole saga was avoidable as it is regrettable.

One account is that Oliseh got angry with Enyeama for reporting to camp on Tuesday instead of the Monday deadline while another said it was because of the captainship which was taken away from the goalkeeper and handed over to CSKA Moscow striker, Ahmed Musa that sparked off the saga.

However it must be stated that it takes an extra ability to manage human beings especially young footballers who are rich and also exposed.

What has happened may have forced some analysts to begin to take a second look at the managerial skills of Coach Sunday Oliseh. This is because a coach is supposed to know when to convey certain messages to his players and when not to.

Looking at the circumstances that led to Enyeama's late arrival to camp, one would have expected Oliseh to have shown maturity by respecting the fact that the former Enyimba International of Aba goalkeeper

ANALYSIS

•Oliseh

•Pinnick just buried his mother the previous Saturday.

In my opinion, I believe that for Enyeama to have arrived Belgium on Tuesday demonstrates enough patriotism because it means that after the usual outing service on Sunday, he must have left Uyo on Monday to board a flight to Belgium.

Secondly, we must not forget that as Africans we pay enough respect to the dead. I am not interested whether or not Oliseh has the right to appoint his captain but doing that immediately after Enyeama buried his mother was illtimed; which means he ought to have acted on the side of caution.

Again even if he had wanted to change his captain, Oliseh should have informed Enyeama before hand of his intention of changing him as the team captain because respect they say begets respect.

In as much as we all agree that Enyeama has the record of

having issues with past Super Eagles coaches like Samson Siasia and Stephen Keshi, the manner Oliseh handled the issue is now earning him some sympathy.

Again considering the precarious situation of the Super Eagles in the qualification for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Oliseh should be careful on how he courts trouble for himself and the national team.

A lot of commentators have

Well there is an adage in my village which says that a headhunter is never comfortable when another person goes behind him with a machete.

Nigeria 5th biggest exporter of footballers in the World A

report has ranked Nigeria as the fifth biggest exporter of footballers in the world, just behind Brazil, Argentina, France and Serbia.“According to the CIES Football Observatory monthly report, Nigeria are also the biggest supplier of football talent in Africa as they have 596 players scattered across the world.

“Other African countries mentioned in this report are Senegal (10th in the world, 377), Cote d’Ivoire (11th, 370), Cameroon (12th, 366) and Ghana (13th, 365).“In total, 18,660 foreign players of 194 origins were recorded in the leagues taken into account in the analysis.“Footballers playing outside of their country of origin make up about 13% of squads.

“Five-time world champions Brazil remain the biggest exporters of footballers in the world as the

queried the wisdom behind handing the captainship of the team to Ahmed Musa instead of Chelsea of England midfielder, Mikel Obi who used to be Vincent Enyeama's assistant.

That action inadvertently suggests that the likes of Mikel and other senior players are free to dump the team if they can’t subject themselves to Musa’s leadership.

I don't want to believe that Oliseh settled for Musa because he does not want any player who is outspoken like Obi. Well there is an adage in my village which says that a head-hunter is never comfortable when another person goes behind him with a machete.

We still remember how Oliseh gave the authorities sleepless nights during his playing days, so it is a bit confusing why he now wants somebody who is very gentle as against somebody as outspoken as himself.

His bungling of the Enyeama saga must have put the NFF on the edge hence the

report say they have 1,784 players plying their trade outside their country.“Brazilians are clearly ahead of Argentinians (929 players) and the French (758).

These three nationalities alone account for almost 20% of foreigners present on a global level.“Among the 15 countries exporting the most players are six European, five African and four South American nations.

“This is despite the recent below-par performances of their national team, Brazil remain an exporter country of footballers par excellence.“Brazilians are present in almost all of the countries studied, making them the only truly global workforce.“However, no South American country is among the top five destinations of Brazilians.

•Musa

•Enyeama speed at which the federation waded into the matter which resulted in the meeting where Enyeama said for him to rescind his decision to retire, he must have to talk to his wife and family.

Of course the NFF in this case has its hands tied because having just engaged Oliseh, they must be seen to be giving him all the support he requires. Therefore, they had no other option than to seem to have sided the coach on his decision.

But beyond the fact that Enyeama has been talking of his possible retirement from the national team, I believe that what the goalkeeper was hinting is that Nigeria should begin to groom other young goalkeepers that can take over from him, to me that does not mean that he must be so discarded at the slightest excuse.

If the coach knew he could as well do without Enyeama, then there was no need inviting him in the first place. In my opinion the rebuilding of the national team should not necessarily begin with the nomination of a new team captain especially where the so called old players are still very relevant.

Finally, since nothing lasts forever and the fact that once confidence is compromised, it will be difficult to build it again. What I will suggest therefore is that Enyeama should go ahead and retire from the national team because if he returns, any day he has a bad day and the team loses a game, many people will say he wanted to sabotage the coach.

Therefore, it is my submission and prayer that anything that will jeopardise the quest of the country to qualify for the 2017 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Gabon must be avoided because Nigerians will not entertain any excuse if the unexpected happens.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015 — 29

Besiktas confirm interest in Mikel T

URKISH side Besiktas have confirmed they will rekindle their interest in Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel when the transfer window reopens in January. The current Super Lig leaders tried to sign the 28-yearold over the summer but saw their advances blocked when Chelsea failed to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus.

However, Besiktas president Fikret Oman has confirmed the club will re-enter negotiations with the Premier League champions in January.

“If [Senol] Gunes had given the go-ahead we were going to sign Mikel [over the summer], and we could enter the race again over the winter break,” Besiktas' president is quoted as saying by the London Evening Standard.

Mikel, who joined Chelsea in 2006, has never been a regular starter throughout his time at Stamford Bridge. In fact, since the start of the 2009/10 season the defensive midfielder has only started in 38% of Chelsea’s league games (101).

AC Milan defend Galliani

A

C Milan have dismissed suggestions that vicepresident Adriano Galliani acted improperly in the transfer of Gabriel Paletta from Parma.

The accusation from the prosecution in the case revolves around the signing of the 29year-old from Parma in February earlier this year.

Milan paid •2.5 million to acquire the Italian international, and the investigation revolves around whether Galliani paid an amount that was not deemed to be a fair reflection of the player’s real value.

Wenger criticisms is unfair – Welbeck

•Mikel

A

Ronaldo eyes fifth Golden Shoe R

•Ronaldo

eal Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has voiced his desire to win a fifth European Golden Shoe, and the Portugal international will not be stopping there.

Ronaldo became the first player in history to win the prestigious individual trophy for a fourth time by netting 48 goals in La Liga last season, finishing ahead of Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero.

He previously won the award while at Manchester United in 2007-08 and at Madrid in 201011 and 2013-14.

The 30-year-old received the prize during a ceremony at the

De Gea: I'm better than ever M

anchester United goalkeeper David de Gea feels he is in the form of his life after helping Spain to a 1-0 Euro 2016 qualifying win over Ukraine.

De Gea endured a difficult start to the 201516 campaign as he was temporarily dropped in favour of Sergio Romero at Manchester United when his future at the club was uncertain due to strong interest from Real Madrid.

He was reinstated as United's number one after his future was resolved, though, and has since put in a string of impressive performances, with the game against Ukraine his latest eye-catching display. "I'm in the best form of my career. I always try and do my best.

Things worked out well and the important thing was to win the game," he told reporters.

"I always give my all and against Ukraine luck was on my side too. This is the way forward.

"For a goalkeeper, all saves are important, but if I had to choose one, maybe the stop with my feet in the first half with the game tied at 0-0. I'd opt for that one as my favourite."

• Paletta

Westin Palace Hotel in Madrid on Tuesday and he is determined to win even more silverware in the future.

"This is another great moment in my career. Receiving the fourth Golden Shoe is a great honour and a privilege," Ronaldo said after receiving the award from club president Florentino Perez.

•Welbeck

rsenal striker Danny Welbeck has defended Arsene Wenger in the wake of recent criticism and feels the Frenchman does not deserve his harsh treatment.

Wenger has had his detractors in the opening months of the 2015-16 campaign following underwhelming performances against West Ham, Liverpool, Dinamo Zagreb, Chelsea and Olympiacos.

However, they have climbed to second place in the table again following their 3-0 win over Manchester United before the international break and Welbeck feels Wenger has done a great job at Arsenal.

Cahill: Let's make our own luck

C

helsea defender Gary Cahill says the team are determined to turn around their season after a poor start, beginning against Aston Villa on Saturday.

The England man thinks the Blues have been slightly unfortunate so far but says it is time they started making their own luck.

Chelsea cruised to the Premier League title in impressive fashion last season but are already 10 points off the pace this term, and are

down in a lowly 16th-place after four losses in their first eight matches.

However, they have an opportunity to get back on track at the weekend when they host an Aston Villa side who have won just one league game this season.

Cahill said: "Luck's not on our side at the minute, but you have to make your own luck in terms of performances at the club.

"That's something I'm determined to put right and I'm sure everyone else is.

"It's not a nice feeling at the minute and one we don't want to have for very much longer."

Ancelotti agrees to tak ver at Ba akee oover Bayyern

•Cahill

C

ARLO Ancelotti will replace Manchester City bound Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich at the end of the season, according to Italian programme Sport Mediaset.

The Italian boss is currently four months into his year long sabbatical after leaving Real Madrid at the start of the summer and had been tipped to replace Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool before the job was eventually awarded to Jurgen Klopp.

Meanwhile, Bayern had been hopeful of securing Guardiola for another year at the Allianz Arena, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the season.

•Ancelotti

30 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

GSMA tasks African govts:

Use proceeds from digital dividend to fund DSO •pushes for local production of set top boxes

By Emeka Aginam, (who was in Cape, Town, South Africa)

T

O avoid missing June 20, 2017 deadline to complete the d i g i t a l switchover and achieve analogue switch off, the Director for Africa, GSMA, Mortimer Hope has tasked African leaders to use part of the proceeds from spectrum auction to fund digital migration.

The digital transition in broadcasting is a global process involving the switch from analogue to digital broadcasting signals.

Spectrum lying fallow, according to him should be auctioned by the African leaders after which the fund should be used to fund digital migration.

He said that Africa’s digital transition in broadcasting has the potential to improve both the quantity and quality of what is available on TV and to increase the number of people who will be able to watch it. Majority of African countries are still having challenges especially funding, to achieve digital switch over.

Hope who spoke to Vanguard Hi-Tech in an

interview at the just concluded GSMA Mobile 360 Africa series held in Cape Town, South Africa noted that as part of the journey to DSO, African governments should produce majority of set top boxes locally.

“African leaders should take part of the proceeds from spectrum auction to fund digital migration. That is the bailout option for the continent. We need to stop consuming foreign products. Africans should be producers and start exporting” he said.

Meanwhile, the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC in preparation for the digital switch over in June 2017, had appointed Inview Technologies Limited, a UK based software company for the provision of a national common Set-Top-Box system.

Off-shore mass production and delivery of initial subvented boxes for

Jos pilot project, according to the Commission is envisaged to be completed by end of October 2015, while the local manufacture of the set top boxes is expected to begin in April 2016.

Manufacture set-top boxes locally: Hope' challenged African leaders, saying, “Digital migration is an opportunity for African countries to start manufacturing capability in the continent. It will create electronic manufacturing factories in Africa.

“Majority of set top boxes should be produced locally in Africa. This is an opportunity for African countries to develop capability in this area. We need to start thinking like Africans. “The quality may be low at initial stage but will improve eventually. Let us use the opportunity we have with the manufacturing of the set top boxes then we can go to integrated TV.

The satellite link that promises to improve Nigeria’s computer literacy Continues from page 25 SES , is world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of more than 50 geostationary satellites.

The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.

The multi-year contract means that Softwire Digital Solutions will be utilising SES capacity to implement countrywide e-learning solutions in Nigeria.

CEO Softwire Digital Solutions Limited, Dalo Edetanlen, said that “We are proud to be associated with SES, as they have the

C M Y K

expertise and the technical know-how to help us achieve our goals in Nigeria.

Quality service Our partnership ensures that we will deliver quality service to our clients, particularly the USPF. We hope to leverage this relationship to expand our business and become one of the leading ISPs in the country,” he added.

Reacting after signing the deal, Senior Vice President, SES Commercial in Africa, Ibrahima Guimba-Saidou, noted that “many governments and public institutions on the continent have already

begun to develop broadband policies to address this digital inequality, but again are hindered by costs, infrastructure and inaccessible, non-urban populations. Satellites have vast coverage and a reach that’s undaunted by mountain, desert, jungle or savannah” he added.

Digital communications and broadband Internet are increasingly important to Nigeria and the continent’s social and economic development.

It is hoped that SES satellite broadband technology would be able to deliver a wide range of services across Nigeria’s non-urban population, to help drive growth and knowledge transfer.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015 —31

put in place policies that will encourage people even in their backyards to have small gardens.

On his part, the National President, Guild of Medical Directors Dr. Tony Philips, said the NHIS started well but derailed as a result of various issues.

He disclosed that the present government is trying to correct issues of accreditation, enrolees and relationship of the HMOS and providers, to make a great impact on the health of Nigerians.

Adopt healthier dietary, lifestyle habits, Nigerians told

By Chioma Obinna

W

ITH low consumption of fruits and vegetables among Nigerians, health experts have urged Nigerians to adopt healthier diets and lifestyle habits.

The experts, who gathered at the 24th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Guild of Medical Directors, expressed concern that ignorance has continued to fuel the dual epidemic of Communicable and NonCommunicable Diseases, NCDs, in the country.

In the views of a Consultant Epidemiologist and public health physician, Prof. Akin Osibogun, immediate behavioural change in the choice of diet, in particular, was desirable for the generality of the populace.

Osibogun, who is former Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, in a paper entitled: “Combating NonCommunicable Diseases through Lifestyles Changes” said Nigerians have abandoned traditional foods and vegetables, and instead, westernised diets have become the order of the day.

Dual epidemic: He, however, opined that though the dual epidemic is a cause for worry, Nigerians could still do something about several of the diseases if they are determined to make the right lifestyle and diet choices, noting that some of the diseases related to choice could be controlled if choices are altered.

Noting that 7 out of 10 deaths in developed countries are above 70 years while only 2 out of 10 deaths in developing countries like Nigeria are above 70 years, he identified areas in which wrong choices are often made to include diet, physical inactivity, tobacco and alcohol use, sexual activity and recreational activity.

Consume more fruits: Urging Nigerians to consume more fruits and vegetables, Osibogun quoted a study in

Malaria: SFH seeks strict compliance on WHO diagnosis

By Victoria Ojeme & Samuel Ujah

S

CONFERENCE: From left: President, Guild of Medical Directors ‘ Wives of Nigeria (GMD-WON), Mrs Queen Phillips; President, Guild of Medical Directors, Dr. Tony E. Phillips; National Secretary-General, GMD, Dr. Oshoba Festus, at the association's National AGM & Scientific Conference, held in Lagos.

Lagos state that showed that only about 20 percent eat fresh fruits, 6.6 percent eat fresh vegetables, 29 percent eat cooked vegetables, fish and meat remain the most frequent source of protein.

From the study, egg, chicken and milk appear expensive, cassava and rice are the main sources of carbohydrate with rice now in the lead; 73 percent are using vegetable oils that may be rich in cholesterol while 25 percent use cholesterol-free vegetable oil and 10 percent add extra salt to their food on the table.

He said too much alcohol commonly affects libido and on the long term, interferes with production of the male hormone testosterone, while nicotine damages the circulation and increases the risk of erection problems.

Embrace exercise: Encouraging Nigerians to embrace exercise, he said being physically active may stimulate immune cells that target cold infections

and overtraining can also cause an athlete to develop a greater risk of catching colds bugs.

“People must walk where possible.

They should engage in exercises that will last up to 30 minutes to an hour at least three times a week to ensure we reduce the risk of NCDs. We need to

People must walk where possible, engage in exercises that will last 30 -60 minutes at least three times a week to reduce the risk of NCDs

OCIETY for Family Health has called for strict compliance with the World Health Organisation, WHO, recommendation on the use of Rapid Diagnostic Test, RDT, for malaria within 15 minutes before treatment.

Head of Case Management, National Malaria Elimination Programm, Dr Godwin Ntadom made the call during Media Roundtable Discussion on Malaria Diagnosis in Abuja.

He said, “Fever is one of the clinical presentations of malaria and WHO recommends parasite-based diagnosis of malaria before the commencement of treatment.

“The malaria control programme is monitoring and at every primary healthcare, they expect cases of malaria to be tested using RDT and positive result should be treated using artemisininbased combination therapies (ACTs).

“There is need to diagnose properly before using ACT because there is no other effective anti-malaria drugs, especially for children under five years.

Ntadom said that there was need to educate patients before administering ACT, stressing that physicians and health experts should go for refresher courses yearly to get updated on RDT. He said the new policy therefore recommends that all suspected fever be confirmed with the use of microscopy in the hospital or simply with RDTs.

What you eat (and drink) may cause chronic pain

I

NFLAMMATION is the body's attempt at selfprotection; to remove harmful stimuli, including damaged cells, irritants, or pathogens.

When uncontrolled and repeated, it can damage the body, and play a role in obesity, heart disease, and cancer.

Chronic Inflammation may also play a role in aging and eventual cellular death.

It can be caused by trauma, infection by bacteria or viruses, infestations with parasites, tumours and, most insidiously, by immune reactions.

The inflamed area releases irritant chemicals that can trigger pain.

In an immune reaction, the body's defense team, which includes mast cells and immunoglobulins know simply as "E", swing into action in response to a foreign invasion.

Like soldiers, they mount a defensive offensive against things they perceive as harmful to the body.

The battle results in gunfire, explosions, smoke, environmental damage and casualties at cellular and tissue level.

The body heals. The spoils of war are gone. The landscape is repaired and looks untouched. Everything returns to normal. Until the next battle.

And the war is never won. In the case of food allergy, every time you ingest the " allergen " (something your body soldiers see as foreign and dangerous), the cellular

doctor@lagospainclinic.com and tissue terrain is damaged. This could be in the skin, the eyes, nerve endings, the muscles and the joints.

Nature, in its omnipotent dispensation, makes it more interesting. What is an allergen to one person may not be to another. An allergen that causes inflammation in one tissue may cause the same reaction in a different tissue in someone else.

Something a person has previously welcomed into the body may suddenly be seen as foreign and harmful, and therefore attacked. And vice versa. The battles with the "allergen" may remain the same, or increase or decrease with intensity over time......in the same person. What is clear is that the repeated inflammatory process can lead to chronic pain. What are these allergens in food? Top of the list are.....gluten, soy and wheat (GSW).

Others are milk, oats , barley, trans fats, eggs, some artificial sweeteners, some colourings and preservatives GSW is perhaps the most difficult group to avoid.

They are used by manufacturers in almost all processed food.

Let's perform a quick NATIONAL food allergen survey!

If you would place this newspaper down for a moment and go into your fridge or kitchen or store. Pick up any 5 labelled items. How many of those items have gluten, soy or wheat in the ingredients list?

Drinks may contain allergens too! Beers can trigger gout and arthritis by the purines they produce and the barley they contain. As can whiskey!

In some countries manufacturers have to give an " allergen list " on their products. This is so in the UK and most of Europe. It is not universal in the USA. Reactions to food allergy may be mild and unnoticeable by the sufferer, or moderate and severe, leading to doctor visits, speculative treatments and no clear diagnosis.

As a consolation, there are also some foods that can help to alleviate and reduce pain.

These will be discussed in a future article. So , if you suffer almost daily bouts of itchy, tearing eyes, itchy skin, stomach pain, body aches and joint pains - take a closer look at what you eat.

32 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015 —33

It is about delivering promised values — Kome Ese, Pot-a-Soup boss KOME Ese is the Business Development Executive of Pot-aSoup, a home-delivery & traditional outdoor catering business. For some people, selling pots of soup is laughable, but Kome doesn’t see it that way. She saw the need to solve food problems for busy individuals in Lagos and tapped into it. The innovative entrepreneur was recently granted a World Bank scholarship to study Entrepreneurship. She unveils her reasons for establishing Pot-a-Soup, challenges of running a business, Pot-a-Soup’s competitive advantage and many more, in this interview

By Kehinde Ajose W hat prompted you to start Pot-A-Soup?

The need to survive, the need to cater to family needs the need to do something with myself instead of waiting for a good paying white collar job prompted me to start Pot-a-Soup. That is where it initially started, but now it has transcended to solving food problems for busy Individuals in Lagos and beyond. The business of catering has become a passionate delight. Understanding that I have a skill that can add unquantifiable value to another person's life has become a prompter leading to the advancement of this business.

Have you always desired to be an entrepreneur?

Right from my University days when I became aware of myself and my responsibility as an adult, I wanted to work in a 9-5 establishment (a bank perhaps but just didn't like that I'd be confined to wearing suits everyday).

sition as you to the same target audience. The key to successfully combating competition is satisfying your customers such that there's no loophole for competitors to plug in. It just means constant improvement and balancing to enable us meet customer's value needs and business owner interests.

How do you take advantage of the market?

Taking my customer's taste and needs very personal is my advantage. They are not just looking to "eat," they want to eat good home made meals which are hygienically prepared and I take this personal.

I am a customer champion ambassador in my own business.

I champion the needs of my customers so much that if a customer is a least bit dissatisfied, I hurt.

How do you convince customers to patronize your brand?

"A trial will commit you!" This has become my newest tag line. We are first about you eating well and eating right.I

Constant challenge The desire and pursuit for entrepreneurship started after my Youth Service and since then, I haven't looked back .

What are the challenges of running Pot-A-Soup?

Running a business is a constant challenge, an everyday challenge. From meeting customer needs, to dealing with internal customers to economic instabilities and government policies overnight, the challenges are endless. However, they are what drive innovation: finding better ways of delivering promised value at a minimum cost to achieve maximum profit.

How do you combat competition in your area of business?

For me, it is about delivering promised values. My bench mark isn't what competitors are doing but what my customers are saying. Competition is one trying to provide similar propoC M Y K

The need to survive, the need to cater to family needs the need to do something with myself instead of waiting for a good paying white collar job prompted me to start Pot-a-Soup

Kome Ese

make that more obvious than the fact that we just want to dig further holes into your pocket.

We try to make this obvious when we communicate with customers.

What are the costly mistakes

Nigerian entrepreneurs make?

The costly mistakes Nigerian entrepreneurs make include not going for adequate knowledge, not har-

nessing credible networks available at our disposal and sometimes following trends set by competition rather than being attentive to our customer needs.

You recently attended Pan Atlantic University to update your knowledge on entrepreneurship. What impact do you see this making in your business?

The experience gained cannot be quantified, it's unexplainable. It got me re - evaluating my vision, objectives and strategy.

It's about the best entrepreneurial education yet and the course content & case studies were relevant to doing businesses here in Nigeria. It's showed me the loopholes in my business and also showed me the way to plug them.

What will be your advice to women who want to play the game of business?

Dream freely. Take advantage of the innate multi tasking ability that women are gifted with .Nigeria is opening up to gender equality both in the business and corporate world so there's more of a field to play in.We can do so much and as much as the men.

Final words?

Know that you are gifted to succeed. Be ready to pay the price however, but be more ready to reap the great fruits from your business success.

Most importantly, work smart not necessarily "hard". Go into business because you have a good value proposition that can be exchanged for money and is sustainable, not just to make money at the expense of your customer's satisfaction. Invest in yourself; develop yourself, for your business can only grow as much as you do.

34— VANGU ARD, WEDNESD A Y, OCTOBER 14, 2015 ANGUARD, WEDNESDA

Should I be doing my boss’s shopping

Wife’s infidelity's destroyed my self-esteem Dear Bunmi, OT LONG ago, my wife of almost 20 years went to a birthday party of one of her friends. I don’t usually go with her since parties like the one she attended are more of a ‘girlie’ type. Anyway, days later, one of her friends let it slip that my wife really went wild at the party.

Apparently a lot of booze was available. She is a bad drinker, but must have had more than her limit. Anyway, she ended up kissing a much younger man at the party and both of them were eventually caught having sex in the toilet!

When I confronted my wife, she looked really frightened.

She said she was really drunk and didn’t know when she ended up having sex with the

N

She transformed from a loving wife and mother into a seductress. ... having sex in the toilet.

Alcohol might make us lose our inhibitions, but it’s rare that a person behaves so radically...

The first thing to do is make sure she’s checked up for any STI since she had unprotected sex. The difficult part is to confront what was really behind her action.

I am tired of playing second fiddle to his ex!

Dear Bunmi, HEN I first met my husband, his relationship with his ex-wife with whom he had a daughter, was strained. But after we got married, that tension disappeared. I knew they’d have to maintain a rapport, but he also wants me to get along with her.

Now things have become too friendly. My husband invited his ex-in-laws to our wedding and when I got pregnant, his ex-wife tried to loan me her maternity clothes! I’ve voiced my displeasure with his insistence that we all be pals. I’m tired of playing second fiddle. Am I selfish to want to create boundaries between us?

Favour, by e-mail.

W

Dear Favour, You’re right to recognise the fact that your husband and his ex need to have solid communication for the benefit of

their daughter. They didn't end the union - they just changed from romantic partners to coallies of this child. Surely you want to support that. But it’s telling when you say, “I’m tired of playing second fiddle.” This indicates to me that, in your estimation, the friendship has gone too far and is getting too cozy. You’re not selfish. The old saying that 'good fences make good neighbours' is profound.

And I believe you need great fences when the ‘neighbour’ happens to be his ex-wife. Let your husband know you’re bothered and that you feel it’s your right to limit, within reason, his ex’s involvement with both of you. I strongly suggest that you sit him down and make him see the “ex” in ex-wife. “Ex” means “no more,” and you both need to stay consistent with that, so you can get on with the business of raising your family without rancour.

stranger.

She said she’d never done a thing like that in her life and promised not to do it again.

She has completely destroyed my self-esteem with her thoughtlessness and my marriage has been violated. Is there anything I can do to come to terms with what has happened? My first instinct was to send her parking, but we have five children and they completely depend on her.

Mike, by e-mail Dear Mike, It’s true we all do things we regret under the influence of alcohol, but your wife’s behaviour is shocking to say the least. Why didn’t her so-called ‘friends’ stop her when they realized things were getting out of hand? Why did your wife drink so much, knowing she couldn’t handle it?

I’m assuming you think your wife’s behaviour is out of character, but what is surprising is the ease with which she transformed from a loving wife and mother into a seductress. It’s a giant leap, having sex in the toilet, knowing she might be caught.

Alcohol might make us lose our inhibitions, but it’s rare that a person behaves so radically differently from how he would normally behave when sober.

The first thing to do is make sure she’s checked up for any STI since she had unprotected sex.

The difficult part is to confront what was really behind her action. Is she bored with her marriage? Your wife certainly crossed many lines - she cheated and did so without a thought she might be caught. No wonder you feel destroyed and violated.

Any decent person would. You need to get good counselling either from your church or from a good professional. The road to recovery wouldn’t be easy, but you need to make an effort to save this marriage. Good Luck.

Is my husband a prude?

Dear Bunmi, Y HUSBAND of seven years had always known that I can only reach orgasm in one sexual position: with me on top. It doesn’t bother me, but it does my husband, who finds it annoying that we always have to end up in that position. I want to make him happy too, but I have no clue on how to solve this problem.

Augusta, by e-mail.

M

Dear Augusta, What’s with this man of

years?

He should be very happy you can reach orgasm through intercourse at all, rather than complaining about it! Less than half a number of women report having regular orgasms through penetration, so you’re one of the lucky ones.

Plenty of women say they can only do it through certain positions and girl-on-top is the favourite. This is because it angles the penis towards the highly sensitive front vaginal wall.

His complaining is a bit annoying! You say you end up in that position, so it’s clear you experiment with other positions during the session.

What exactly is his problem?

To meet him half-way, you could have your method. For instance, you could have your orgasm first, say through oral sex, before moving into a position that suits him. Or let him reach orgasm first, then finish you off afterwards with his fingers or a vibrator.

Dear Bunmi, I am a trained secretary. Some three years ago, I left the company I worked for to pick up a better job as a confidential secretary to the managing director of a private but big firm.

My job is very challenging and I love it. However, my boss expects me to do his personal shopping all of the time. At Christmas and family birthdays, he always asks me to shop for presents for his family. I don’t think it is right to expect me to choose his personal gifts to members of his family. He knows their preferences better than I do. How do I tell him this without trampling on his feelings?

Joy, by e-mail.

Dear Joy, You are not alone in this.

Female office workers are often given this task because many men are uncomfortable shopping and consider it too time-consuming. Even though shopping for gifts probably isn’t in your job description, your boss may feel that it is your obligation to do any assignment he gives you. If you are willing to risk your job, you can refuse to do your boss’ shopping. If not, there are things you can do to make the situation easier on yourself. You can ask your boss to suggest several items that he thinks his family would like, and ask him to give you a price range. If he can’t come up with any ideas, choose three or four items and let him make the final decision.

My dad’s lover won’t leave me alone!

Dear Bunmi, IVE YEARS ago, I came back to the country without my wife. When I called on my father, I met this school teacher with him and it was obvious they were lovers. She insisted that I should come to say hello to her and I did. When I called at her house, she was in the bed-room. In fact, it was a one room apartment and the only chair in the room was very close to the bed.

To cut a long story short, she seduced me. She was surprisingly good in bed and I continued the affair until my wife came home with the kids last year. Now, this woman wants our relationship to continue, but I don’t want any

F

scandal. My wife would skin me alive if she found out I’d been sleeping with a woman old enough to be her mother.

How do I get rid of her?

Omooba, by e-mail.

Dear Omooba, You should have thought of the possibility of a scandal before you got carried away by this cheap affair and let it drag on for two years. Now that you no longer have any use of your dad’s ex, I suggest that you explain your plight to her, with a hefty good-bye present.

Hopefully, she’ll see your point. If she doesn’t, then you should brace yourself for the fury of a woman scorned!

She ruined our friendship by not paying her loan Dear Bunmi, BOUT A year ago, my best friend approached me to lend her some money to clear some of the goods she had at the ports. She said she would pay me as soon as the goods were sold. I told her the money I had was for my annual rent which would be due two months from that time.

She assured me she would have sold all her goods by then. True to her words, she came to me a month after I gave her the money but returned half of it. She told me she had some outstanding debts which she would soon collect.

Only I didn’t see her for months and when I tracked her down, she was hostile to me. She also moved without telling me. I eventually traced her to her new residence and she told me she

A

had no money and would pay me when she was good and ready. Why are some people prepared to sacrifice good friendship because of money?

Emmanuela, by e-mail.

Dear Emmanuela, I’ve always been guided by the adage: neither a borrower nor a lender be! I don’t know how large the sum of money outstanding is, but it is now obvious that after a year, your supposed best friend has no intention of returning the rest of your money. Short of resorting to the law courts, you will have to kiss your money good bye. What happened to you can be really painful, but it is an expensive way to find out that the only person you can put your trust in, when it comes to money, is yourself.

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015—35

YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 CAPRICORN: Many members of your opposite sex will go out of their ways to attract your romantic interest. This is the wrong time to engage on unnecessary argument.

AQUARIUS: If your priority is love, much of it would come your way as desired. But here is a better day for more ambitious members of this Star Sign in the business world. Don’t allow anybody to deceive you over money.

PISCES: Those of you with secret admirers within your working area will have the needed opportunities to make the needed moves. Resist the temptation to deceive others.

ARIES: Although matters-of-the-heart may give you cause to smile broadly, if care is not taken, you would cause friction that can’t help your cause at work. This is the wrong time for unnecessary scheming within your working arena.

TAURUS: Those of your who are red-blooded for romance may have an exciting and satisfying day. Happenings within your social circles must be taken more seriously.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

T

HERE are people who either by omission or commission throw away very glaring opportunity that comes their way only to explain it away that it is not

THIS IS YOUR TIME —2 God’s appointed time for them. Yes, everything in life has its own time and season.

But you can quicking your own season. For ex-

TERROR MUDA

ample, if a football player has beaten all other players and he is now left with the goalkeeper still, he decides to play outside the bar is it

in “Scavenger Elite”

because it is not yet God’s appointed time?

Be ready any time,any day for success. Constantly harbour a mindset of success. This is your appointed time to succeed.

By Lanre Kehinde

GEMINI: Confrontation may come your way in the circle but the heavens are working favourably for you. Some dose of romance is not too much for you on a day like this.

CANCER: Provided you don’t allow your innate ability to be as diplomatic as necessary desert you, things’ll work favourably for you to the betterment of your finances.

LEO: Many of you will be in sentimental mood and exhibit strong romantic desire openly. But then, if care is not taken, you may be carried away to the detriment of your finances.

Serious minded lovers are in for happy day.

VIRGO: Whatever anybody says or does, you will have both your say and way. Venus and Jupiter may tempt some of you to embrace illicit (or secret) romance within your base of operation.

LIBRA: Venus and Jupiter at positive angles may tempt you to join some of your friends who are already onboard of merry making train. Watch your health.

SCORPIO: Good luck may smile at many of you today and induce love of luxury, merry making and romantic liason.

Genuine lovers will need to be on guard against deceit from new admirers.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in “HEY’

By Andy Akman

SAGITTARIUS: Both financial success and emotional satisfaction are closed to you than before. Those of you travelling because of maters-of-the-heart are in for an exciting romantic day Those ambitious career-wise will succeed after few struggles.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

My comprehensive horoscope please!!!

Dear Joshua, I am a middle aged lady. Although I am fairly successful, I want you to give me my comprehensive horoscope, especially what my special gift is.

Which day of the week was I born? Where were my natal planets and their meanings? Who am I?

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Ronke, Lagos.

Dear Ronke, There is no space for comprehensive horoscope but what you’ll have here -under is answer to your questions/ You were born on a Thursday and your special gift is LEADERSHIP quality.

YOUR HOROSCOPE DATA Day of Birth: Thursday.

Sun Sign: Virgo: Sun in 20th Degree of Virgo Moon Sign: PISCES: Moon on 10th Degree of Pisces Mercury in 16th Degree of Libra Venues in 5th Degree of Scorpio Mars in 13th Degree of Cancer Jupiter in 6th Degree of Pisces Saturn in 5th Degree of Acquarius Uranus in 2nd Degree of Virgo Neptune in 11th Degree of Scorpio Pluto in 10th Degree of Virgo North Node in 6th Degree of Leo South Node in 6th Degree of Aquarius Quality and Element Cardinal and air star signs hosted two planets each fixed and earth three each, no planet in fire while mutable and water star signs hosted five planets each.

Pushful influence = 20% Non- pushful element = 80% Final dispositor = Lucky Jupiter GENERAL ANALYSIS Just 20 per cent of pushful influence in your chart can deceptively present you to others as a soft (or even timid) person but practical Virgo that hosted nothing less than three heavenly bodies when you were born and Astrological aspects between Mercury (mental focus) and aggressive Mas in you r chart are pointers to the contrary.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

36—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

Beyond Chief Olu Falae's kidnap

By Femi Falana

I

N October 2010, a traditional ruler and a college provost were abducted in Ekiti State by a gang of kidnappers. While the bandits were taking the victims to a hideout in Delta State a fatal accident occurred at Kabba in Kogi State.

Both victims were killed while the kidnappers were seriously injured. The criminal elements were promptly arrested by the police and charged to court by the Kogi State Ministry of Justice. Although the trial court ordered that the kidnap suspects be remanded in prison custody they escaped last year during a violent attack on the Lokoja prison by unknown gunmen.

Shortly thereafter, the wife of the Speaker of Osun State was abducted in Osogbo. She was later found by a vigilante group in Ogun State. In Lagos, the chairman of Ejigbo local government was abducted. He was released upon the payment of a ransom of N15m. Since then several persons have been kidnapped and released upon payment of ransom negotiated by their family members.

Notwithstanding such incidents

FEMI F ALAN A, SAN FALAN ALANA, of kidnapping in the south west zone was considered relatively safe.

But the crisis of insecurity of life and property in the region became exacerbated after the 2015 general elections following the retrenchment of hundreds of armed political thugs and the escape of a number of prisoners at the prisons in Ado Ekiti, Akure and Sagamu in the last couple of years. The few kidnap suspects who were arrested were not charged to any court by the police while the prison management did not declare any of the prison escapees wanted.

No doubt, the kidnap of Chief Olu Falae, a former Secretary to the Federal Government in his farm in the outskirt of Akure, Ondo State last month added a new dimension to the kidnap saga in the region.

Embarrassed by the development, President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to secure the release of the Chief.

Barely 24 hours later Chief Falae regained his freedom

Olu Falae after the payment of ransom by his family. Upon his dramatic escape from captivity Chief Falae, disclosed that his abductees spoke “good English”.

Based on such disclosure it is doubtful if the criminals who kidnapped Chief Falae are Fulani nomads. However, Chief Falae announced last week that his farm had been invaded vi et armis and taken over by a group of Fulani nomads.

In a classical display of impunity the Nigeria Police Force has failed to dislodge the lawless group.

Instead of calling on the security agencies to enforce the law by arresting and prosecuting the group some Yoruba leaders threatened that the south west region would secede from Nigeria if Fulani nomads are not banned from entering

Leaders of the various ethnic groups should be worried over the involvement of educated young men and women in the menace of kidnapping throughout the country

the region! It is unfortunate that the senior citizens who issued the threat did not address the legal implications of their demand.

It ought to be pointed out that every Nigerian has a constitutional right not be expelled from any part of the country. Leaders of the various ethnic groups should be worried over the involvement of educated young men and women in the menace of kidnapping throughout the country.

Chief Falae is likely to be pained that the illegal occupation of his farm by a criminal gang may degenerate to civil disturbances between Yo r u b a farmers and F u l a n i nomads.

More so, that Chief Falae was at the 2014 National Conference where it was unanimously agreed by delegates that “In the long term cattle routes and grazing reserves be phased out to lay emphasis on ranching'' and that ''states which have large livestock populations s h o u l d endeavour to maintain grazing reserves.” It was further resolved that “An

integrated development and livelihoods modernization programme should be designed and implemented to address the issue of settling nomadic herdsmen into s e t t l e d communities based on established cattle ranches with f o d d e r development technologies, and i n c l u d i n g a b a t t o i r s , processors and other businesses along the livestock value chain.” The recommendations have been ignored by the Federal Government.

It is on record that not less than 10,000 heads of cattle are consumed in the south west daily. Majority of the heads of cattle are brought in malnourished having been made to walk hundreds of kilometres from the northern part of the country.

Instead of issuing threats, the Yoruba leaders ought to have mobilized the south west state governors to set up ranches and abattoirs for the production and distribution of meat in the region.

For instance, through a PPP arrangement a modern abattoir, the largest in Africa, was built

in Ibadan, Oyo State in 2011.

But due to some inexplicable reasons the state government has refused to allow the abattoir to function. The Ekiti State government once had a ranch.

It was established by the Adekunle Ajasin government in the Second Republic. But it has since collapsed due to lack of maintenance. This is not the time to resort to diversionary or escapist solutions to man made problems. The ruling class should be compelled to address the challenges of establishing livestock, grazing reserves, ranching and modernization of pastoralist or nomadic livelihood in line with the aforesaid recommendations.

Nomadic livelihood In conclusion, the police should move speedily to dislodge the armed bandits who have seized Chief Falae’s farm.

The Yoruba leaders should consult with the south west state governors with a view to addressing the increasing wave of insecurity of life and property in the region.

All prison escapees should be declared wanted and fished out by the police. Governments should embark on massive creation of jobs for the army of unemployed youths. In addressing the crisis of policing the country, state and local governments should be allowed to set up security outfits.

Since northern governors are worried over cattle rustling, their southern colleagues should link up with them with a view to having a holistic approach to the establishment of grazing zones, ranches and abattoirs. Unless these measures are adopted the country will continue to witness insecurity of life and property.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOMBER 14 , 2015—37

Maritime workers issue 7-day strike notice to NPA

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

B

ONNY—MARITIME Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, has issued a 7-day ultimatum to the management of Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA, to stop all midstream discharge of vessels in Bonny Rivers, Lagos and other port formations without using registered dockworkers as required by law, failing which the nation’s ports will be shut .

MWUN in a petition to the Managing Director of NPA , dated October 12, 2015, lamented that at the time of the petition, a vessel named “Industrial Chef” which shipping agent is Gac, berthed at Ladol, Lagos, on Friday, October 9, 2015, with undeclared cargo tonnage without the involvement of Stevedoring and Dockworkers in the stevedoring services.

President-General of MWUN, Mr. Nted Emmanuel Anthony, speaking on the issue, claimed that since the petition to NPA, two vessels were expected to berth in Bonny and Lodol, any moment from now, with alleged threat not to involve registered Stevedoring and Dockworkers in the stevedoring services.

According to him, “MV Hwak” is expected to berth at Bony Midstream, Rivers State, on or before Thursday, October 15, with both Deep Sea and Gac Bonny, as shipping agents. Also, expected to berth at Ladol, Lagos, any moment from now is “MV Panagia V” with Hullblyte as agent. This practice cannot

continue in our ports in the midst of massive unemployment in the country.

"We cannot accept a situation where foreigners or unregistered workers take over jobs that Nigerians ought to do. We want to believe the management of NPA was not aware of this illegal practice that is why we are bringing it to its notice. If the management fails to stop it, it means it is conniving with the perpetrators of these illegal

activities, and we will not have any other option than to shut the nation’s ports.”

However, in the petition by Secretary General of MWUN, Mr. S. Aham Ubani, said “we have to report that for some time now ships, bergs and oil rigs are being discharged at Ladol without the involvement of stevedoring and dockworkers in the stevedoring services. The most recent is the case of a vessel named “Industrial Chef” which berthed at Ladol on October 9, 2015 with undeclared cargo tonnage/CBM, without the use of registered dockworkers.

This is illegal and against the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Act which stipulates that stevedoring services (loading /offloading of vessels in our ports, jetties terminal- on and offshore operations must be handled exclusively by registered dockworkers only.

“We therefore demand for the payment of stevedoring charges of all the operations handled in Ladol without involvement of dockworkers within 7 days, effective from the date of this letter."

OPENING: From left: Nigeria’s Ambassador to Hungary, Muhammadu Yunusa, SecretaryGeneral, International Telecommunications Union, ITU, Mr. Houlin Zhao, Director, Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis Department, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Ms. Josephine Amuwa, Executive Commissioner (Technical Services), Ubale Maska representing the Acting Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta and Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, at the formal opening of the Nigeria Pavilion at the ongoing ITU Telecom World forum in Budapest, Hungary, yesterday.

Alamieyeseigha's death'll rekindle resource control struggle —Ijaw youths •As Onuesoke mourns late Ijaw leader

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By Ephraim Oseji

ENAGOA—IJAW youths in Niger Delta on the platform of Delta Ijaw Youths Assembly ,DIYA, have called on the people of the Niger Delta Region not to be weighed down by the death of former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, but to rekindle the resource control struggle he was known for.

This came as a People’s Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant in Delta State, in 2007, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, lamented the demise of former Bayelsa Governor, Chief Alamieyesiegha, saying Nigeria in general and Niger Delta region in particular, had lost a gem DIYA in a statement by three of its leaders, Ebimobowei Oguma, (President), . Gbaboyo Wurus (Secretary) ,and Vincent Nadifa, (Publicity Secretary), said the death of Chief Alamieseyeigha was not an end to the struggle, but would rekindle the spirit for the development of the long neglected region which he

believed in by bringing development to areas where nobody taught development would be possible.

According to the group, “Alamieseyeigha who was often referred to as the Governor General of Ijaw nation, was a political colossus whose development impact would remain indelible in the region. He would be remembered for his patriotic zeal towards the development of the Niger Delta which was unparalleled despite

been hounded by the Nigerian state for his stand on resource control.”

While calling on all Ijaws to obey the instruction by the Ijaw National Congress, INC, for seven days mourning for Alamieseyeigha, DIYA said he was an agitator in his own right for the Niger Delta development.

Similarly, Onuesoke in a statement at AMMASOMA, Bayelsa State, during a condolence visit to the family of Alamieyesiegha, said the former

Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, was a close friend of Alamieyesiegha, noting that they were in the forefront of the struggle for resource control in Niger-Delta region.

He expressed sadness over the death, describing it as a tragedy andcommiseratedwithhiswidow,Mrs. MargaretAlamieyeseigha,thechildren, other members of the family, Governor SeriakeDickson,theIjawkingdomand thepeopleofBayelsaState,andprayed God to give them the fortitude to bear this great loss.

Stop parading as Orosuen, Otota, OkereUrhobo warns

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ARRI—THE three ruling houses of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom Warri, Delta State, have resolved to bring sanity to the contentious issue of the traditional ruler (Orosuen) and the controversial issue of Otota (Traditional prime minister) that have been lingering on for some time.

The members of the three ruling houses have warned those parading themselves as king, prime minister or regent of the kingdom taht they are doing so illegally.

Speaking in Warri on behalf of the three ruling houses of Idama, Ohwotemu and Sohworuvwe, Chief Gideon Okumagba, said for now Okere Urhobo Kingdom Warri had no king (Orosuen) and no Otota (prime minister) stressing that the process to enthrone a new King and Otota would soon commence.

He said: “We are drawing the attention of the Okere Urhobo people, Delta State Tranditional Rulers Council, Delta State Government, the International Community and the general public in particular to the display of shame over the position of our revered Orosuen and Otota (Prime minister) of Okere Urhobo Kingdom by some of our over ambitious sons who do not want to follow due process of selectiontobecomeOrosuenand Otota.”

ChiefOkumagbasaidthatsome individuals were operating and parading themselves with the a toga of illegality as Orosuen and Otota and regent of Okere UrhoboKingdomrespectivelyand by their actions were bastadizing theKingdom’sancienttraditional institution and putting the kingdomintopublicridicule.

Why I dumped PDP for APC —Delta ex-Commissioner

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By Victor Otigbu

ARRI—FORMER Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture, Lands, Surveys and Urban Development, during Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan administration, Misan Ukubeyinje, has said pressure from Itsekiri leaders and politicians from his constituency, forced him into the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and has decided to leave the PDP and join the progressives now that there

is no more pressure from any group or individuals.

Speaking against the background of allegations from the PDP state Chairman in Delta State, Chief Edwin Uzor, that he left out of frustration and inability to get appointed into any political office in the present Governor Okowa’s administration, he faulted the allegations that he left the PDP in the wake of new appointment by Governor Okowa, saying that appointments were still ongoing

in the state.

The two time House of Assembly Member and two time Commissioner, said his credibility, integrity, credentials, political sagacity and intelligence were what stood him out for appointment and not because he went out to lobby anybody for any positions.

Ukubeyinje claimed the Delta State PDP Chairman, was a political neophyte that was handpicked by the former

Chairman, Chief Tony Nwaoboshi.

According to him, “having served as a legislator, Commissioner for Agriculture and later Lands, Surveys and Urban Development to the end of the Uduaghanadministration,noreasonable politician can tell me that I left the PDP out of frustration. With the first steps taken by Governor Okowa and the ways he goes about making his appointment, I know the PDP has lost its focus and it is time to quit as a progressive to join the forces of change at the centre.

38—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 , 2015

Tribunal dismisses Elechi’s son's petition, upholds Egwu, Ogba’s elections

Corpses of 2 children found in abandoned car

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—PALPABLE confusion has gripped the sleepy rural Awaka community in Owerri North Local Government area of Imo State, following the shocking discovery of corpses of two children inside an abandoned car.

By Peter Okutu

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The mysterious disappearance of the two children, as well as the shocking discovery of their bodies in the vehicle, attracted scores of sympathizers to the compound, close to a popular relaxation spot in Awaka (names withheld) It was not very clear how the two youngsters were eventually found in the parked vehicle, but

Vanguard, however, gathered that the two children had previously been declared missing by their parents.

A villager, who spoke on strict grounds of anonymity, recalled that “when the tarpaulin used in covering the vehicle was removed, the bodies of the two children were found.”

APC asks S/East govs to support Buhari

BAKALIKI—THE National and State AssemblyElection Petition Tribunal sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State yesterday upheld the elections of Senator Sam Egwu and Obinna Ogba representing Ebonyi North and Central Constituencies respectively.

It also upheld the election of Hon Linus Okorie representing Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo Federal Constituency.

The tribunal dismissed the petition filled by the Labour Party candidate in the March 28 senatorial election of Ebonyi Central and son of the former governor of the state, Prince Nnanna Elechi challenging the election of Chief Obinna Ogba of the PDP. In its two hours judgment on the petition read by the Chairman, Justice Joel Ayga, the tribunal said most of the paragraphs of the petition were based on criminal allegations against some persons and institutions that were not made parties to the petition and therefore expunged the paragraphs.

The tribunal maintained that some of the paragraphs of the petition were vague, generic, lacking in particulars and specifics as well as imprecise and struck out the paragraphs.

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—THE All P r o g r e s s i v e s Congress,APC, South-East zone, yesterday, called on governors in the zone to support the programmes and policies of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration irrespective of party affiliations.

The party said the governors should emulate David Umahi, Ebonyi State Governor, for his support to President Muhammadu Buhari’s laudable programme to construct a progressive Nigeria and his total objection to ‘needless opposition’.

According to reports in the media, Umahi who lost his mother recently, told a team of PDP delegation in the state that paid him a condolence visit at his home in Uburu in Ohozara local government area on Saturday, that since Ebonyi State has a lot of challenges, it would make no sense for the State to embark on “senseless” opposition.

Reacting in a statement, spokesman of APC Leadership Caucus of the South-East zone, Mr Osita Okechukwu, commended Governor Umahi for his disposition to the Buhari led APC Federal Government, and urged other opposition Governors, to emulate him, for good governance and prosperity.

He said, “we equally commend Governor Umahi for his pronouncement that his support to Mr President does not anyway mean that he is leaving his party

- the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); for us it is a welcome development, because our dear country needs a strong opposition and constructive criticism to reinforce our fledgling democracy. We do not want a one party, rather we cherish two dominant political parties in a multi-party system. This is the zenith of liberal democracy which stabilizes, unites a country and provides the electorate with alternatives during the elections.”

Okechukwu hailed Umahi for exhibiting statesmanship, spirit of patriotism, far sightedness and concern for the wellbeing of Nigerians and Ndigbo in particular under President Buhari led APC Federal

Government.

He added that, “it is our considered view that Ndigbo and all hard working and enterprising Nigerians stand to benefit immensely from the transparent Buhari administration than the patronage system of yore.

“Accordingly, we in the SouthEast All Progressives Congress particularly enjoin other opposition party Governors in the South-East to take a cue from their brother Governor Umahi, who has shown that the interest of the people in Ebonyi State and Ndigbo is more paramount to him than political leanings. United Ndigbo will share the prosperity of President Buhari’s good tidings.

The man equally recalled that the vehicle had been parked on that spot for a long while, adding that the vehicle owner lives outside the shores of Nigeria.

“The owner of the parked vehicle lives outside Nigeria. I do not even remember when the owner of the vehicle last visited home. As at the day the sad incident was discovered, the vehicle owner was not at home,” the man said.

Answering a question, the villager affirmed that the police had already stepped into the matter, adding that “in the usual police fashion, they would critically probe all leads with a view to getting to the roots of the matter.”

When contacted for his comments, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, a deputy superintendent of police, said that he had not received any such information.

“As at the time of your inquiry, no such information has reached my table. It may come later, but for now, I have not received any such signal,” Enwerem said.

Tribunal upholds election of Sen Orji

By Anayo Okoli

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MUAHIA—THE National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia yesterday upheld the election of the immediate past Governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji as the senator representing Abia Central senatorial district.

Orji’s election was fiercely challenged by Mr. Amadi Nweke of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, [APGA].

In the judgment read by one of the Judges of the 3-man panel, Justice Imeh Umana, the panel said that Nweke failed to

substantiate his seven prayers and claims that there were irregularities during the election.

The panel therefore struck out the petition on the grounds of incompetence and said that the petitioner failed in his prayers to state the total number of votes cast and prove that if the votes were properly recorded, he would have scored a specified number of votes.

According to Justice Umana, the inability of the petitioner to prove the number of votes he would specifically have gotten made the petition “vague, spurious as it had no stand”.

The tribunal further stated that

the attempt of the petitioner to request to be allowed more time to present more facts makes his case “vague, incompetent, misleading and of no value”.

Hinging his judgment on the aforementioned reasons, Justice Umana said the petition “is hereby dismissed for being incompetent, having no verifiable bases, as the preliminary objects of the petitioner were struck out, which makes the case not to stand”.

In his reaction, Senator Orji expressed gratitude to God for the outcome of the case, saying that he has always had faith in the judiciary.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On Oliseh & En Enyyeama disagreement

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here is nothing you can do to please everyone.

Oliseh should focus on his job. However, Enyeama should be appreciated for his years of service for Nigeria. But as a coach, he has every right to choose anybody as captain. -Mr. Odoh Justus, Worker

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am not really happy about what is going on between Oliseh and Enyeama.Enyeama had serve this country for a decade and Oliseh should allow him retire peacefully in 2017 than fighting each other. -Mr. Ajiboye Sunday, Music Director

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liseh does not have to explain his choice of his team’s captain to anyone. The captainship of any team is not a permanent assignment. It’s a coach’s prerogative to appoint who serves as a captain of his team. -Mr. Victor Okafor, Businessman

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liseh should plead with Enyeama, he is more loyal than any other Nigerian player. Enyeama carries good luck along, and loves his country. He is also dedicated to Nigeria. In fact, no Enyeama, no Super Eagles! -Mr. Olycci Muonwe, Self Employed

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f it was in Enyeama’s club and his coach embarrassed him in front of his players, will he dump or quit his club? When Ronaldo had a problem with his coach in Real Maldrid, did he dump the club? -Mr. Chikezie Chijioke, Worker

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n the match against Con go, was there coordination between the players?

In the first instance, why the need to strip Enyeama off the captaincy; will it add value to the team, make the team stronger or divide the team? -Mr. Shittu Abiodun, Businessman

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015 — 39

Badaru off to China with 20-man team on investments drive

By Aliyu Dangida

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UTSE—JIGAWA State governor, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, has led a 20man delegation to attend international trade fair for two weeks in the People’s Republic of China.

The fair would run from October 13 to 28, 2015.

In a statement by the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Governor, Mal. Bello Zaki, in Dutse, said during the visit, the governor would woo the confidence of Chinese investors into Jigawa State as well as meet with existing investors such as Lee Group of Companies for additional investments in Kijawal, Jigawa Sugar Project and Sintilmawa Mango Juice project.

The team, according to the statement, will also meet prospective investors on large scale agriculture and identify alternative energy sources to power irrigation equipment to save cost.

The delegation is also to hold discussions with China Mechanical and Electrical Product Circulation Association, Xingyang, CMEPCA, manufacturers of small

scale simple agricultural and Mining implements such as planters filters, thrashers etc for the Jigawa state requirement on the areas of Agriculture.

It added that other programmes of the team while in China would include discussions with relevant

organisation on training of medical doctors in Chinese institutions, identifying and sourcing cost effective medical equipment that would be used in specialists hospitals at Hadejia and Kazaure, including 120 other Basic

Health Centres across the state The entourage is expected to identify and source appropriate teaching aid, especially on Science and Technology Education in Jigawa State schools and seek collaboration with relevant Chinese private education outfit for the training and retraining of teachers in science and technology.

TRAINING: From left; Mr David Tommy, Country Representative, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO); DG, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko; Mrs Tas Nilgun, UNIDO's Project Manager and Mrs Folusho Samuel, ITF's Project Manager at the opening ceremony of a skills training programme organized by UNIDO and ITF in Abuja yesterday.

Benue tribunal upholds election of three House of Reps members

By Peter Duru

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AKURDI—THE National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, has upheld the election of two All Progressives Congress, APC, and a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, House of Representatives members.

Among those who had their elections upheld were Mark Gbilah and Herman Hember both of the APC representing Gwer/ Gwer West and Vandeikya/ Konshisha federal constituencies

respectively and Ezekiel Adaji of the PDP representing Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency.

The victories of Gbilah, Hember and Adaji were challenged by John Tion of the PDP, Terhemen Hons of the PDP and Nelson Alapa of the APC for alleged electoral malpractices and non compliance with the provisions of the 2010 Electoral Act as amended.

Delivering judgement in the case between John Tion and Mark Gbilah, Justice David

Security operatives, fundamentalists clash in Okene was razed, adding that this

By Kingsley Fanwo

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ECURITY operatives and fundamentalists were yesterday locked in intense gun battle in Okene Local Govt Area of Kogi State.

Residents confirmed to Vanguard that gunshots were heard in the area all night.

A source, who craved anonymity, told Vanguard that some security operatives besieged Inike area of Okene local government area where they were carrying out a raid on suspected extremists, in the process.

The source said a mosque belonging to a Muslim sect, popularly known as Al-Sunnah, C M Y K

sparked retaliation from the AlSunnah group as they went ahead to burn a vehicle belonging to the security operatives.

The gun battle between the security operatives and the AlSunnah group began yesterday morning and was still on at press time.

Out of fear of being attacked, residents have remained indoors.

Though the degree of casualty has not been ascertained, sources said one person was reportedly injured by a bullet, while some members of the Al-Sunnah group are said to have run towards a hill at Etahi area of Okene local government area.

Wyom dismissed the petiton on the ground that it was filed out of time and therefore incompetent.

Justice Wyom who anchored his judgement on the provisions of Section 285 of the Electoral Act, noted

that “the result of the election was declared on March 30th., 2015 while the petition was filed on April 20th, 2015, it is the position of this tribunal that this was done outside the 21 days allowed by law, the petition is therefore dismissed.”

Groups accuse El-Rufai of injustice in appointments, security

By Luka Binniyat

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ADUNA – A coalition of 13 groups from Southern Kaduna yesterday accused Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State of injustice in political appointments and abdication of responsibility to secure the area and violation of extant laws.

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna yesterday under the Coalition of Southern Kaduna Groups, its coordinator, Barr.

James Kanyip, also accused ElRufai of what he said was policy somersault.

He said: “Southern Kaduna makes approximately three million in population, representing about 50% of the 6.066 million population of Kaduna State, according to the 2006 National Population Census “We are bonded by same socio-cultural and historical ties, some dating back to the ancient Nok Terracotta civilisation of

the 500BC. ‘’Southern Kaduna people who welcome and embrace all comers are, therefore, deeply indigenous and autonomous people like other native populations. ‘’We are proud of our heritage and reject any policy that suggests that there are no indigenes or natives of Kaduna State.

“The prevailing circumstances that we have found ourselves in Kaduna State today have made it imperative for this coalition to address nagging issues under the government of Mallan Nasir El Rufai, before they got out of hand,” he said.

According to the coalition, while El Rufai had stopped the banditry and cattle rustling in Birnin Gwari and environs, it said that he has done nothing to end the killings in Southern Kaduna.

Kanyip said: “Daily killings are going in Atakkar villages in Kaura LGA and the Sanga road artery has become hot bed for violent robbery far worse than what was obtained in Birnin Gwari.

BoI sets up solar power plant for Osun communities

By Sebastine Obasi

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o stem the challenge of rural-urban migration, the Bank of Industry, BoI, has inaugurated a 24 kilowatts (kw) micro-grid solar solution in two Osun communities.

The move, according to the Managing Director of Bol, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, is in furtherance of the United Nations’ campaign for ecofriendly sources of energy.

With this initiative, Osun State has become the first state to benefit from Bol’s intervention in the provision of renewable energy in South West Nigeria.

The solar electrification project is located at Idi-Ata and Onibambu in Osun State.

Olaoluwa said that rural communities are the worst hit in terms of poor access to electricity, especially the offgrid areas, which have always been without power supply and have resigned their fate to the use of kerosene lanterns, oil lamps, and other types of dangerous sources of light to able to live their daily lives.

Customers lament racketeering in pre-paid meter installation

By Ediri Ejoh

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LECTRICITY consumers ave raised an alarm over the racketeering involving officers engaged in the installation of pre-paid meters.

Vanguard gathered that some customers have been asked to pay over N10,000 to activate the meters and also to replace them with the old ones.

Specifically, consumers along Okota, Ago, AwodiOra, said there wass high rate of irregularities in the metering scheme supposedly intended to ease the plights of the masses after much complaints against estimated billing system.

Mr. Chima Obi, a resident of Okota, said: “We have been forced to pay N2000 each from every flat to be metered, otherwise you would be disconnected. It was never an option for us because we were told to pay or be disconnected.

40 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

MSSN: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule (middle) in a group photograph with members of the newly-inaugurated Executive Council of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, MSSN, Lagos State Area Unit, during the 2015 annual conference of the body in Lagos.

From left— Sales Supervisor, Multichoice, Mr. Oluwaseun King; Leadership Development Manager, Marilyn Maduka; Brand Manager, Shadiat Shoyombo, both of Unilever Nigeria, and Mr. Akinola Kolawole of Multichoice, during the firms' schools programme at the University of Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

SOLAR POWER IN MODAKEKE: From left— Managing Director, Arnergy Limited, Mr. Femi Adeyemo; Divisional Head, Large Enterprises, Mr. Joseph Babatunde; Managing Director /CEO Bank of lndustry, BoI, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, and Osun State SSG, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, during the commissioning of Bol-funded low cost off grid 24kw solar pv mini grid to Onibanbu-Idi-Ita village in Modakeke, Osun State.

DENIM FRANGRANCE: From left— GM, Daroc Nigeria Limited, Mr. Bashir Jaber; Head, Brands & Marketing, Trads Marketing & Distribution Solutions Limited, Mrs Aderemi Apatira; Executive Business Director, Noah’s Ark Communications, Mr. Victor Oyarero, and Sales Manager, Wale Adediran, at the launch of Denim Fragrance in Lagos. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

WORLD EGG DAY: From left— Director General, Onallo Akpa; National President, Dr. Ayoola Oduntan, both of Poultry Association of Nigeria, PAN, and Olubunmi Oluwalasinu, during a briefing on 2015 World Egg Day in Lagos. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

COMPUTER VILLAGE: From left— Managing Director/CEO, IT Worlds Limited, Chief Obinna Obienu; Thought Leadership keynote speaker and Managing Director, Connect Marketing Services Limited, Mr. Tunji Adeyinka; Founder/CEO, Technology Times, Mr. Shina Badaru, and Managing Director/CEO, Brian Computers Limited, Mr. Tunji Balogun, at the unveiling of the forthcoming Computer Village Expo ’15 organized by Technology Times, in Lagos.

CELEBRATION: Head, Early Years and Foundation School, Mrs. Cynthia Maduka (middle), with the pupils of the school, during the celebration of 55th Independence Day at the school premises, Ilupeju, Lagos.

UNILEVER/MULTICHOICE/UNILAG:

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SESSION: From left— Chief Executive Officer, Bufferzone Ltd., Akin Fadeyi; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai, and Chief Executive Officer, Inspired Plus, Martins Adun, after a public communications enhancement strategy session in Abuja.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY 5—41 WEDNESDAY,, OCTOBER 14, 201 2015

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44—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

Challenges before Buhari’s ministers •President Buhari

By Clifford Ndujihe, Deputy Political Editor

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ITH the clearing of some ministerial nominees by the Senate yesterday, a full component of President Muhammadu Buhari’s 'Change' team is almost ready.

Expectedly, if the Senate ends the screening tomorrow, the President would have no hitches in swearing-in the ministers immediately or at the most next week, to accelerate the change agenda.

Indeed, the incoming ministers have a number of challenges waiting for them in the areas of healthcare, power, education, insecurity, poverty alleviation, economy, job creation, agriculture and provision of basic amenities and infrastructure among others.

Power supply challenge The power challenge is a thorny one. Nigeria is still far away from becoming selfsufficient in electricity. The country’s epileptic power supply has taken a turn for the worse in recent months. Despite investing over $30 billion in the sector in the past 15 years, the total electricity supply as at today is about 5000 megawatts (MW) for a country of over 170 million people. While about 200,000MW is needed to meet our current energy demands, the government is still planning to increase power generation to 6,000 MW by December.

Poor power supply is one of the factors hindering rapid industrialisation and growth of small-scale enterprises, which in turn has led to rising rate of unemployment and worsening poverty among the citizenry.

Rising poverty, unemployment According to the National Bureau of Statistics, nearly twothirds of Nigeria’s population live below the poverty line, which means over 100 million people live in absolute poverty,

surviving on less than one dollar (about N200) a day.

The NBS said that the number of poor is rising; in 2004, 55 percent of people were living in absolute poverty and by 2010, this had risen to 61 per cent.

The situation is particularly bad in northern states where over three-quarters of the population live in absolute poverty. With widespread poverty, particularly in the North, over a quarter of young children (under five) are underweight in Nigeria, while around two-fifths are stunted, the

AREAS OF FOCUS •Education •Power •Health •Economy •Agriculture •Insecurity •Infrastructure

•Technology •Alternative revenue sources •Socio-political harmony •Deepening democracy •Corruption, poor governance •Unemployment

World Health Organisation, WHO, said in its 2000–2009 assessment.

With little development and few social welfare programmes, extremist groups in the North are easily able to recruit poor and desperate young men to their cause.

Indeed, the incoming ministers have a number of challenges waiting for them in the areas of healthcare, power, education, insecurity, poverty alleviation

THE NOMINEES •Dr. Chris Ngige (Anambra) •Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) •Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) •Babatunde Fashola (Lagos) •Abdulrahman Dambazau (Kano) •Aisha AlHassan (Taraba) •Ogbonaya Onu (Abia) •Kemi Adeosun (Ogun) •Abubakar Malami SAN (Kebbi) •Senator Sirika Hadi (Katsina) •Barrister Adebayo Shittu (Oyo)

•Sulaiman Adamu (Jigawa) •Solomon Dalong (Plateau) •Ibe Kachikwu (Delta) •Lai Mohammed (Kwara) •Osagie Ehanire (Edo) •Udoma Udo-Udoma (Akwa Ibom) •Ahmed Isa Ibeto (Niger) •Ibrahim Jibril •Audu Ogbeh (Benue) •Amina Mohammed (Gombe) •Khadijah Bukar AbbaIbrahim; •Claudius Omoleye Daramola (Ondo State) •Professor Anthony

Anwuka (Imo State) •Geoffrey Onyema •Brig. Gen. Mansur M. Dan Ali (Rtd), Zamfara State •Barrister James E. Ocholi, Kogi State.

•Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed •Okechukwu Enelemah •Muhammadu Bello •Mustapha Baba Shehuri •Miss Aisha Abubakar •Heineken Lokpobiri •Adamu Adamu •Professor Isaac Adewole (Osun State) •Pastor Usani Usani Uguru •Abubakar Bwari Bawa.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in June 2014 said that 80 per cent of the Nigerian youth are jobless.

The population of youth aged between 15 and 35 years in Nigeria is estimated to be 64 million.

CBN Special Assistant on Sustainable Banking, Dr. Aisha Mahmood, while delivering a paper on Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principle during the 2014 World Environment Day programme organised by the Federal Ministry of Environment in Abuja, said that unemployment remains a severe threat to Nigeria’s economy.

Severe threat “As the population is growing, the resources that we all depend on, the food, energy, water, is declining. The demand for these resources will rise exponentially by the year 2030, with the world needing about 50 per cent more food, 45 per cent more energy and 30 per cent more water.

“In Nigeria, there is the issue of youth and employment. 70 per cent of the 80 million youth in Nigeria are either unemployed or underemployed. We are all witness to what happened recently during the immigration recruitment exercise and this is simply because 80 per cent of the Nigerian youth are unemployed,” she said.

Insecurity: Currently, the country is facing major security challenges in all zones of the country. The Boko Haram Continues on page 45

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015—45

AS the ministerial nominees scaled the Senate hurdle one after the other, yesterday, some eminent Nigerians have mounted another before them. However, the fresh hurdle is in terms of performance and what they are expected to do improve socio-economic and political fortunes of Nigeria.

‘What we expect from our ministers’

By Dapo Akinrefon & Charles Kumolu

I

EXPECT them to be the best – Agbakoba Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, expressed optimism that the ministers will assist the president in delivering his campaign promises.

“My expectation is that they should be people who should be able to first of all, deliver on the campaign agenda of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Second, the change agenda of the president and then the third and most importantly, the expectations of Nigerians.

They should also be able to tackle the critical issues in the system. There are so many of them but I can mention some of the critical ones. Our economy has stopped producing jobs, our health sector and education,” Agbakoba said.

He continued: “My expectation is that they will be the best quality who would help the president deliver on his campaign promises. It is like a football team, if I am going to a competition, I will go with the

•Agbakoba

•Ajulo

•Ugwu-Oju

best players and I expect that these are the best.”

would be speculative. It would be speculative to set agenda for the ministers when portfolios are not attached to their nominations. ‘’However, the only area where I am interested is the NNPC where a core professional was appointed as the head and was also nominated to be a minister.

We expect that he is allowed to

continue the job he started rather than bringing in another person, who will dismantle the structures he has on ground. The man has brought in people who will help realise his plans for the sector, any new person coming may change some of the structures he has put in place.’’

I expect them to bring about APC’s change – Odumakin Afenifere’s spokesperson, Mr Yinka Odumakin said he expects the new ministers to bring about the needed change promised by the APC. His words: “Once they are confirmed, people expect them to settle down and get to work, look at the critical areas and how to bring about the change, which their party promised. There are many areas of our national life that need attention. Importantly, areas like infrastructure, power, education, the economy, agriculture and the

Ongoing innovations in NNPC should be sustained— Ugwu-Oju President of South-East/SouthSouth Professionals, Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju said: ‘’We need to stop the practice of sending names without attaching portfolios to them. We should imitate America and other countries where the portfolios are made public the moment a person is appointed a minister.

For instance, if one is to set agenda for the Minister of Finance the task becomes easier when the identity of such minister is known. Such makes it possible for us to know the competence of the person because people have different areas of competence. Without knowledge of their portfolios, whatever is said about them

What was promised Nigerians is change and we are yet to see the change, they therefore must ensure this

Challenges before Buhari’s ministers Continues from page 44 insurgency in the North-East geo-political zone, which has claimed about 8000 lives since 2009 is still raging. And since April 2014, over 200 Chibok school girls who were abducted by the insurgents have not been rescued. The problem of clashes between local farmers and Fulani herdsmen in the North-Central has so defied measures so also are the problems of armed robbery and kidnapping in the South-East and South-Western parts of the country.

Can the ministers boost efforts to check these breaches? They are expected to do so with discernible results!

Health: Nigeria’s health sector is another area that needs urgent action especially in primary and secondary healthcare. Statistics from the Save the Children organisation, an international non-profit group, has revealed that almost 800,000 Nigerian children die every year before their fifth birthday, making

Nigeria the country with the highest number of new born deaths in Africa.

The group said recently that majority of children deaths under age five, particularly in the northern part of the country, are due to treatable and preventable diseases. This is worsened by recurring industrial disputes with doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers always at daggers drawn with the governments over salary and monetisation benefits.

It is therefore not surprising that Nigeria accounts for 13 per cent global maternal mortality rates with an estimated 36,000 women dying in pregnancy or at child birth each year. At least 5500 of these deaths are among teenage mothers.

Nigeria also has about 260,000 neonatal deaths annually, 13 percent of which can be prevented with live saving interventions such as provision of required maternal health medicines and supplies.

Around 3.3 million Nigerians are living with HIV, which equates to 3.6 per cent of the adult population (UNAIDS 2009 data). This compares to 0.2 per cent of adults in the UK. Data made available by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) however, noted that over the last 20 years, Nigeria has made significant progress in reducing the maternal mortality ratio.

Concerted effort It also added that Nigeria has to make concerted efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goal of 300 per 100,000 (or under 20,000 annual deaths) by 2015.

Education: Again, the ministers must do something about the falling standard of education in the country. Currently, no Nigerian university is among the world’s top 1,000 list.

The United States alone has

eight universities in the top 10, the ranking done by the Centre for World University Rankings show.

The highest ranked university in Africa was the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, which ranked 149th followed by Mansoura University in Egypt which emerged 988th.

In an earlier ranking done by Journals Consortium, only one Nigerian university made it to the list of top 10 African universities.

The University of Ibadan came a distant eighth on that list, beaten by six South African schools. This is a far cry from what it used to be given that as recently as in the late 90s many African nationals especially South Africans and Cameroonians attended Nigerian universities.

Today, the reverse is the case with many Nigerian students headed for Ghana, South Africa and Benin Republic among others.

Can the ministers halt this trend? Nigerians are hopeful and optimistic.

diversification of our economy.

“One has not seen brilliant presentations so far, may be because of time or the way the thing is structured and of course, there are no challenging questions in terms of issues. We hope they will be able to bring ideas on the table that can make the people to feel the impact of governance. We have not seen rigorous deliberations in terms of looking at the issues that affect the country. So, they will need to do more of rigorous thinking and try to find solution to the problems.”

They should ensure change — Ajulo National Secretary of the Labour Party, LP, Dr Kayode Ajulo advised the ministers to effect the needed change.

Ajulo, a legal practitioner, said: “Even though it appears that there is an infusion of new faces, the truth is that there is essentially no difference between six and a half-dozen; the issues we raised are still very relevantthe youth in Nigeria have been cast aside and abandoned in this new administration.”

National renaissance Chiding the president for neglecting the youth, he said: “A nation that abandons its youth has given up on the future as such abandonment indicates that there is no succession plan. The question I’m asking the Buhari administration is: Is this an admission that the youth in Nigeria are of no use to him in his drive for national renaissance?” A look through world history shows the role youth have played in adding value to human growth and societal development.

“As a young man myself, I feel sincerely pained at this course of events. At the risk of appearing like I am blowing my own trumpet, I know I have played no mean role in contributing to national development. There are many other young people like myself who have laboured significantly. These ones may even have fought for the president’s victory at the polls.

Is this how they are to be compensated? The fact is President Buhari is disappointing Nigerians more and more with his choices by the day.

“The would be ministers and Buhari’s administration need no more advice than to live by their words. Buhari did not emerge as president by happen stance but due to the good things he promised and credible perception of his personality. What was promised Nigerians is change and we are yet to see the change, they therefore must ensure this.”

46—Vanguard,WEDNEESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

APC asks S/East Govs to support Buhari

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—THE All Progressives Congress,APC, South-East zone, yesterday, called on governors in the zone to support the programmes and policies of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration irrespective of party affiliations.

The party said the governors should emulate David Umahi, Ebonyi State Governor, for his support to President Muhammadu Buhari’s laudable programme to build Nigeria.

According to reports in the media, Umahi who lost his mother recently, told a team of PDP delegation in the state that paid him a condolence visit at his home in Uburu in Ohozara local government area on Saturday, that since Ebonyi State had a lot of challenges, it would make no sense

for the state to embark on “senseless” opposition.

Reacting in a statement, spokesman of APC Leadership Caucus of the South-East zone, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, commended Governor Umahi for his disposition to the Buhari led APC Federal Government, and urged other opposition governors, to emulate him, for good governance and prosperity.

He said, “we equally commend Governor Umahi for his pronouncement that his support to Mr President does not anyway mean that he is leaving his party - the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); for us it is a welcome development, because our dear country needs a strong opposition and constructive criticism to reinforce our fledgling democracy. We do not want a one party, rather we cherish two dominant political parties in a multi-party system. This is the zenith of liberal democracy which stabilizes, unites a country and provides the electorate with alternatives during the elections.”

IBC, staff at war over plot to downsize workforce

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—LABOUR crisis is now brewing between the new Management Committee of Imo Broadcasting Corporation, IBC, headed

by Dr. Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe and the staff of the establishment.

Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that following what the workers termed “a surreptitious plan to downsize the workforce,” the new management had already conducted an assessment test for the IBC staff.

It was equally gathered that the new management had ordered the IBC Director General, Mrs. Esther Obong-Egbuna, to vacate her office, surrender her official vehicle to the Management Committee and stop signing any

cheque belonging to the establishment.

Confirming the current development to newsmen in Owerri, the Chairman of the IBC Joint Action Committee,Sam Eke, said labour would resist any plot to sack any IBC staff.

He affirmed that IBC had about 273 workers, while the wage bill stood at about N18 million monthly, stressing that the establishment was in dire need of more hands, instead of the planned downsizing.

After giving a graphic situation report of government owned broadcast outfits of some sister states in the South East geo-political zone, some workers blamed the current economic downturn of the IBC to government appointees, who saw the place as a gold mine.

Hajj tragedy: 168 Nigerians dead, 144 missing

By Victoria Ojeme

T

HE National Hajj Commission has confirmed that 168 Nigerians died in the last hajj stampede in Mina Saudi Arabia while 144 others were missing. Public Relations Officer of the Commission, Mr Uba Mana in a telephone interview also confirmed that out of 35 Nigerians who were injured during the stampede, only seven are currently on admission in the hospital. Mana however expressed doubt that any of the missing persons could be found alive adding, “we don’t want to conclude but we want to believe that the number of dead will increase”.

CPN didn't suspend Registrar, other officials over abuse of office —Awe

By Emeka Aginam

T

HE COMPUTER Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria, CPN, yesterday, dismissed media report that it had suspended four of its principal officials including the council’s Registrar/ Secretary, Mr. Sikiru Shehu, over abuse of office.

The others are the Director of Legal Services, Alhaji Abass Fufore, Head, Human Resources and Administration, Alhaji Amoo Taofeek, and Head of Research and Strategy, Ibraheem Al-IsHaq. The Head, Public Relations of CPN, RajiAwe, Aderemi, in a statement, said the media report on the alleged suspension, was misleading and outright distortion of facts.

According to him, the council at its 75th regular meeting in Lagos, directed the

Registrar/Secretary to proceed on terminal leave in accordance with Public Service rules having served out his terms of office.

Accordingly, Mr. Idowu Olusile was asked to act as the Registrar/Secretary to the Council. Shehu was never suspended, he added.

“The Director Legal Services, Mr. Abass Fufore served the Council meritoriously for eight years and in accordance with the Public Service Rules, has since proceeded on his terminal leave from September.

"It is, therefore, inconceivable for anyone to report that he was sacked. Mr. Amoo Taofeek, the Head Human Resources and Administration was asked to proceed on one month leave for administrative reasons and not sacked as stated in the media publication.

“Mr. Ibraheem Al-Is-Haq, Director, Research and Strategy was also not sacked as also reported in the media publication.

Senate screens Fayemi, Dambazzau, Usman Jibril, Ogbeh, Onu, Udoma, 4 others Continues from page 5 and it is achievable.’’

Defence Policy of Nigeria needs constant review – Dambazzau

When it was his time, former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen A b d u l r a h m a n Dambazzau, who called for constant review of the nation’s defence policy, said: “Defence policy of Nigeria needs constant review because it should centre on the best way to use the military to tackle challenges and come up with order of battle.

On the Boko Harm insurgency, he said: “The soldiers are at risk and if care is not taken some could lose their lives, if a new soldier loses his life, there is death gratuity for him apart from other benefits deriveable by his family. But these could be reviewed upward. We have not been taking advantage of the United Nations reimbursement system, other countries used it to maintain their armed forces but Nigeria relies on annual budget.

“We can use the UN reimbursement to procure critical equipment while greater percentage of the annual budget could be channeled towards welfare to boost the morale of the personnel.

On clashes between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers, he said the development was unfortunate and affecting production, adding that the climate change was causing desertification.

How to end problems in FCT – Usman Jibril

For Ibrahim Usman Jibril, unless the issue of compensation and resettlement was addressed in the Federal Capital Territory, the haphazard development in the nation’s capital will not be addressed.

I am not looking for anything new – Ogbeh

In his presentation, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who noted that he was not looking for anything new, said that the president and governors should no longer be given the status of the leader of the party.

“The major problem facing the nation’s political system is the lack of internal democracy in the political parties.

Another problem is the tendency for the party in power to surrender its authority to the President or the state governors.’’

On agriculture, Ogbeh said: “I am not here because I am looking for anything new. I am here

because I believe I can do the job.

On what he would do to bring about change in agriculture if appointed as Agriculture minister, he said: “Since I have been travelling, seeking to know how other countries got it well. Here, we have very bad seeds.

There is no seed company in Nigeria. He said breed and nutrition were some of the factors. Interest rate also affects agriculture in Nigeria. With 20 to 25 per cent interest rate, it is difficult to invest and make profit in agriculture.”

Let’s put our differences aside – Onu

In his presentation, former governor of old Abia State, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu said: “The country is currently passing through serious socio-economic challenges, and all men and women in this country should put their differences aside and let’s tackle the problems together.

“Nigeria produces crude oil but we are importing fuel; doing a lot of farming but importing food stuff. We need to pay greater attention in the area of power generation.

We need to diversify our sources of power generation. Let’s utilize coal as one of our sources.

And Nigerian coal is one of the best in the world because of its low sulphur content.

We are essentially a consumer nation, and this is not good for our socioeconomic existence. We have to improve and become a producer nation.”

Ehanire, Ibrahim too...

On his part, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who noted that our health system was bad, said, “The fight against corruption should be extended to the health sector. I think that many people that go to hospital don’t get desired attention. I canvassed orientation programmes for hospital workers.

Health insurance is still at infancy. It is being studied right now to be applied in communities. Priority should be given to rural health and one of the issues on focus should be hygiene. The traditional medicine practitioners have a lot to contribute.

Many of the drugs we use today came from native medicine.

Traditional medicine has to be better regulated because it is dangerous to allow people who are ignorant to work on citizens.”

Also in her contribution, Amina Ibrahim warned that with the present economic situation, realising Vision 2020 is no

longer feasible for the country.

Drama over Lai Mohammed’s bows

There was however drama when the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed appeared in the Senate chamber at 3.25pm. As he entered, there was laud applause mostly by APC Senators.

Lai Mohammed who bowed to PDP leadership three times, APC leadership four times, bowed six times before Senate President Saraki, a gesture that elicited further applause.

Senate President Saraki then announced, “ the nominee before you Distinguished Senators is from Kwara State.”

It was apparent that the gesture was well understood by the lawmakers.

He then asked if Senators have Mohammed’s CV. There was deafening “yes, yes, yes” in the chamber.

Even before Saraki could conclude, Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, stood up from his seat and moved that “Alhaji Lai Mohammed is very well known to this chamber. I move that he should take a bow and go.”

The chamber became some what rowdy as PDP senators, in a way, opposed the motion.

Senator Saraki said that Mohammed should tell the chamber a little about himself in line with the convention of the Senate.

Mohammed complied and introduced himself, adding that he was in the chamber to seek the support of the Senators to be confirmed as minister, saying that it demands higher service to be in government.

Presidency pleased with Saraki

There were indications yesterday that Senate President Saraki, has warmed himself into the heart of the Presidency by the mature way he handled the screening of ministers.

A top aide to the President confirmed to Vanguard last night that Buhari was happy with the professional and matured manner in which Saraki conducted the screening of the ministerial nominees.

The Presidency official said that by the way Saraki conducted the screening he has proved to the nation that he was committed to ensuring the success of the Buhari administration, which is anchored on change and transparency.

The source said that it was clear that Saraki meant well for the administration and had no hidden intention.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015—47

Jos bizman killed, workers arrested

LikeMinds makes case for IDPs

By Bartholomew Madukwe & Ediri Ejoh

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

A

J

OS—A middle aged man, Gordian Okoli, was yesterday shot dead around Mallam Kure Street, Fatima Catholic Church Junction, Jos, Plateau State, at 9a.m.

Police have arrested four of the deceased’s workers.

Okoli, said to be a dealer in frozen foods, was allegedly shot dead by a gang of armed robbers, whose activities have raised concerns around Katako Market neighbourhood of Jos North Local Government.

The robbers were said to have invaded the businessman’s shop in a tricycle and demanded from him the proceeds of the sales he made over the weekend, said to be about N3.5 million.

He was said to have been shot and bled to death.

INVESTITURE: From left— Past President, Rotn Kunle Oyatomi; new President, Rotn Francis Famoroti, both of Rotary Club of Egbeda; his wife, Taiwo; and guest speaker/ Coordinator, Centre for Human Right, University of Lagos, Mr. Wahab Shittu, during the investiture of Famoroti as the 13th President and inauguration of 2015/2016 Board of Directors and launching of club projects, in Lagos. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Snakes invade Plateau communities, bite 50

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

J

OS—SNAKES fleeing flooded areas in communities in Kanam and Kanke Local Government areas of Plateau State have bitten no fewer than 50 persons

in the last two weeks.

This was confirmed by the member representing Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Timothy Golu, who noted that some of the victims had died, while 13 others were in critical conditions at Jos University Te a c h i n g Hospital, JUTH, and 20 in traditional snake treating homes in the state.

He added that some others were visiting the h e a l i n g centres as outpatients due to lack of bed space.

G o l u

stressed that the situation was “very scary and pathetic,” adding that the snakes, which moved about openly in pairs, were washed into the communities by flood.

Cause He said: “As flood pushed them from the over flown tributaries of River Benue, some snakes climbed trees, others entered holes, while some just held unto any available straw. They all later descended into residences and farms, wreaking havoc.

“The commonest species were the black mamba, carpet viper and cobra. Most victims usually depend on luck to survive.”

He urged the Federal and Plateau State governments to treat the snake invasion as a national issue, urging residents to be vigilant and protect themselves from bites.

Youths tasked on skills acquisition

C

OMMUNITY youths have been called upon to key into the selfsustaining cottage industries concept, where highly-trained, skilled and productive persons provide specialist goods and services to drive development and capital appreciation of individuals and communities.

The call was made by Engineer Babatunde Olayinka, Manager, Field Operations, Pillar Oil Limited, Kwale, at the commissioning of projects executed by the company at Umuseti, Utagba-Ogbe, Kwale.

Olayinka said the skills acquisition programmes and projects commissioning were products of the Memorandum of Understanding entered into by host and right of way communities and the company.

Highlights of the ceremony were the presentation of starter packs to six youths, who graduated in welding; six in hair dressing and certificates to six graduands trained as excavator operators and ended with the commissio-ning of a town hall and open and lock-up market stalls.

community-based organization, LikeMinds Project, has called on state governments to provide temporary locations of succour for Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs. According to the group, IDP camps house less than 10 percent of the conflict victims and the majority of IDPs are living in the bushes, streets or with relatives in host communities.

The group’s Project Coordinator, Dr. Fatima Kyari, said: “At Dalori camp in August, camp officials told us that there are more than 17,000 people in the camp.

“This included 8,001 children, whose ages ranged from six months to four years. About 15 percent (1,200) are unaccompanied. That is, they have lost both parents.”

Kyari said the organization would be holding a fund-raising event to make lives of the vulnerable ones in the society better.

Delta Deputy Speaker wins Global Peace Award

T

HE Deputy Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Friday Osanebi, has been honoured with RHANAS Global Peace Humanitarian award in the United Kingdom, “in recognition of his efforts in improving the lives of others and for his significant contributions to peace and humanitarian services around the world.”

RHANAS Director, Dr. Salinder Supri, said the award recognizes individuals who had d e m o n s t r a t e d extraordinary leadership in support of nong o v e r n m e n t a l organizations in the developing world.

He added: “The award is to embolden the Deputy Speaker to do more and applaud his practical involvement in human empowerment thus far.”

48— Vanguard,

WEDNESDAY 5 WEDNESDAY,, OCTOBER 14, 201 2015

Aftermath of bloody clash with Navy, Police: IPOB draws battle line

*A cancer treatment machine

*A radiotheray machine

Diminishing hope for cancer patients •As treatment facilities collapse nationwide •Only 2 radiology machines functional •Patients, stakeholders call for state of emergency in healthcare

I

By Chioma Obinna

T is alarming but true.

Thousands of cancer patients in Nigeria currently face an uncertain fate as they are not getting the required treatment as at when due. The unfortunate situation has been attributed to the collapse of cancer treatment and support services at designated public and private health institutions nationwide.

Investigations reveal that cancer management has been compromised at major centres, including the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, IdiAraba, Lagos; University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan; University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, Enugu and University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, Benin City, among others, as radiotherapy machines, linear accelerators and other sensitive equipment are obsolete, functioning suboptimally or broken down completely.

Sensitive equipment Further investigations revealed that the National Hospital Abuja, Usman Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto and EKO Hospital, Lagos, which are the only three currently functional centres, are not running optimally, even as they are being overwhelmed by patients who travel the length and breadth of the country to these centres in order to be placed on the long queues for treatment.

Vanguard Features, VF, can authoritatively report that under the multi-billion naira Vamed C M Y K

hospital refurbishing project, former President Olusegun Obasanjo procured eight linear accelerators for eight Federal Teaching Hospitals, but years down the line, the machines have become obsolete and unusable.

But in the light of gradual breakdown of these machines, and with no immediate solution in sight, medical experts are worried that the situation spells doom for cancer patients, warning that diagnosis of cancer has become a potential death sentence even as it is threatening to escalate the already precarious cancer epidemic in the country.

Major challenge The major challenge of cancer care and management in the country before now has remained the lack of accessible screening facilities. Many cancer patients have never had access to basic cancer screening or optimal cancer treatment and are under compulsion to travel abroad in order to obtain adequate and specialised care.

The World Health Organisation, WHO, statistics on cancer situation in Nigeria reveals that more than two million Nigerians have some form of invasive cancer.

With a cancer death ratio of 4 in 5 and an estimated 100,000 new cases diagnosed annually, of which at least 80,000 die, equivalent to 240 Nigerians every day or 10 Nigerians every hour, cancer is one of the highest causes of death in Nigeria.

Experts say the alarming death rate is mainly due to poor infrastructure in order to deal

with the problem. There is no single comprehensive cancer centre in the country and over 80 percent of cancer patients have no access to chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery while those that receive chemotherapy, radiotherapy and cosmetic surgery may spend an average of N10 million – N20 million on the average.

Some cancer survivors told VF that out of 10 patients, it is unlikely that any would survive under the current situation. In August, a cancer survivor accessing treatment at LUTH died as a result of lack of treatment.

The patient was referred to EKO Hospital, Lagos, but could not obtain treatment because the queue was too long and she was eventually asked to seek treatment elsewhere.

Another patient that left Owerri, Imo State for treatment in Lagos told VF that she had been in Lagos for two weeks and spent

With a cancer death ratio of 4 in 5 and an estimated 100,000 new cases diagnosed annually, cancer is one of the highest causes of death in Nigeria

all she had without obtaining treatment.

“We are facing real hard time and the painful thing is that nobody seems to care. The Linear Accelerator in LUTH only works epileptically. The Health Ministry is stinking and should be overhauled.

“With all the corruption going on in this country, government cannot even build one comprehensive cancer centre.

Cancer is no longer rare. It is everywhere. It is more common now but nobody is listening to us,” she stated.

Executive Director, Care Organisation Public Enlightenment, COPE, Mrs. Ebunola Anozie, said apart from a lack of equipment for treatment most patients are being exploited financially.

Financial exploitation “Doctors give wrong drugs to patients just to make money from them. No centre is working today because the few you are talking about are epileptic. What we need are comprehensive cancer centres not hospitals where malaria is treated.

“Most of the equipment are obsolete; even some of them are still new but obsolete. LUTH prefers to repair its linear accelerator than to purchase two generators that could power the machine effectively.

“Let government try and build one comprehensive cancer centre in Lagos for a start. Private hospitals are trying but they do not have the latest equipment and the only one trying for now is Lakeshore Hospital.”

Anozie who accused government of paying lip service to cancer said: “I am just coming from where I took a patient who could afford treatment in a private hospital; but how many of them can afford it? That is why we are appealing to President Mohammadu Buhari to order a total overhaul of the Ministry of Health and the hospitals for better services. The rot in those places should be sanitised.”

Radiation biology In a telephone chat, Head of Department, HoD, Department of Radiation Biology, Radiotherapy Radiodiagnosis and Radiography, LUTH, Prof.

Remi Ajekigbe confirmed that the linear accelerator at the health institution had broken down and required maintenance.

“Such machines take time to be repaired because of the high cost of maintenance and the fact that the parts are mostly imported.

The current unserviceable state of these machines has denied many patients access to treatment, and government needs to repair all the machines in the various centres, procure new ones as well as train more experts in the field.”

Ajekigbe said there was need for government to establish a cancer centre in every state so that patients will not have to travel far before getting treatment.

Noting that cervical cancer and prostate cancer are on the rise, he said there is need for government to equip these hospitals in order to save more lives as well as provide palliative care for those who presented late.

“When you delay treatment cancer spreads. A Stage 2 patient may become Stage 3 then Stage 4 and by the time the machine is working again, the patient is dead. There is no reason why Continues on page 49

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY 5—49 WEDNESDAY,, OCTOBER 14, 201 2015

From war-torn Central African Republic, tales of woe, pain by Nigerian returnees •Returnees swell army of refugees in Nigeria

By Umar Yusuf, Yola

A

S civil strife, wars, other human made calamities continue to ravage Africa and other parts of the World, the resultant consequences refugees have been death, destruction and of course more refugees.

Indeed refugee crises have been on the increase not only in countries affected by conflicts, but others not directly affected. For instance, apart from having to cope with refugee challenges caused by Boko Haram terrorists, Nigeria is currently faced with the return of its nationals displaced from war-torn nations of Africa and elsewhere.

This was the case on October 3, when hundreds of Nigerians, both old and young, children and women looking malnourished and tired and in dear need of food, clothing and shelter were evacuated to Yola, Adamawa State.

The refugees numbering over 297 fled the Central Africa Republic, CAR, which has been in the throes of war for the past three of four years. They were brought into Yola, clinging forlornly to their bare belongings, which were all they could lay their hands on before their evacuation. Many of the refugees could only remember the names of their villages and not the states they come from.

Nigerian languages This is due to the fact that most of them have spent up to 40 or 50 years in that country as labourers, artisans and were not abreast with the last two creation of states in Nigeria and do not know which states they come from.

Many of them also could not speak most of the Nigerian languages; they can only communicate in French and other indigenous languages in the Central Africa Republic.

One of the returnees, a 52- yearold carpenter, Teid Tanko, narrated that he was born in that country by Nigerian parents who both died in the crisis. According to him, his parents once told him that they hailed from the NorthEastern part of Nigeria, but do not know the exact town, village or state.

“I got married to an indigenous Central Africa Republic lady in the early ‘80s and we were blessed with five kids. But, unfortunately, at the peak of the crisis, late last year, the lady absconded to an unknown destination with the children. I have no alternative than to trace my roots,” he said with tears in his eyes.

*One of numerous IDPs camps in Nigeria

*A makeshift camp for refugees from CAR Pa Laidu Usman, in his late 70s, narrated that he left Nigeria before the country ’s Independence, but confirmed that he hails from a village in the Remo area of Ogun State.

Pa Laidu was confident that if taken to his state, he will be able to trace his village and relatives, while thanking God to be alive on the shores of the country.

NEMA’s intervention, evacuation of Nigerians: The Director, Search and Rescue of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Air Commodore Charles Otegbade, who spoke shortly after receiving the returnees

noted that after rigorous scrutiny, the returnees were confirmed to be Nigerians.

Otegbade said that following the escalation of the civil unrest in CAR, the returnees fled to Cameroon Republic early last year and were at an international camp facility in eastern Cameroon Republic.

He stated that the International Organisation for Migrants in conjunction with Cameroonian authorities brought the returnees to the Nigerian border town of Sahuda in Mubi South LGA of Adamawa State following the closure of the camps.

Support of Cameroun

They were clinging forlornly to their bare belongings; many of the refugees could only remember the names of their villages and not the states they come from

“NEMA has received a total of 297 Nigerians from International Organisation for Migrants with the support of Cameroon authorities. “The development follows the closure of the International camps by the organisation at Kenzo and Garua Bulai, all in eastern Cameroon Republic,” Otegbade said.

The director confirmed that the 197 Nigerians were the last batch evacuated since the CAR conflict erupted in late 2013 and early 2014.

He pointed out that at the peak of the conflict in 2014, NEMA with the collaboration of the Nigerian Air Force rescued and evacuated over 2000 Nigerians from Bangui International Airport to Abuja. “Those that were trapped in various locations in Central Africa and cannot reach

Bangui escaped into Cameroon Republic for their safety.

“And so far NEMA had evacuated and settled over 3,000 Nigerians migrants from CAR since 2014 to date,” Otegbade said.

He said out of the total number of returnees, Adamawa has 52 indigenes, Borno 41 while Yobe has 29 indigenes.

Other states include Gombe with 16 migrants, Kano with 12 migrants, Bauchi with nine migrants, Anambra with one migrant, and Kaduna also with one migrant.

He confirmed that the remaining migrants were from Plateau, Kebbi, Sokoto, Taraba and the Federal Capital Abuja.

He said the agency had concluded arrangements to link up the returnees with their relatives. “Upon their arrival at Damare NYSC Camp, the agency had hired buses to link up those from Adamawa, Taraba and Gombe with their relatives.

Those that are from far away states like Sokoto, Anambra and others will sleep in Yola till they are moved,” Otegbade said.

Speaking shortly after handing over the returnees, Mr. Rogers Evina, Operations Officer of the International Organisations for Migrants, Cameroon Head Office, said that the organisation camped the Nigerian migrants for almost two years at Garua Bulai and Kenzo.

Migrants at the camps “At the beginning, we had over one thousand Nigerians at the camps. No one among the migrants was forced to come back to Nigeria, they willingly made up their minds to come back home,” Evina said.

He said that Nigerians were not the only foreigners accommodated at the camps, adding that there were significant numbers of Malians, Sudanese, Nigerien and Senegalese nationals.

Returnee narrates ordeal: Narrating his ordeal, Abubakar Magaji , 42, who hailed from Kumo in Akko Local Government area of Gombe State said he left Nigeria to CAR in 1990.

According to Magaji, before the conflict erupted, he was a teacher in one of the government schools in Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic. He was teaching Arabic and Islamic studies. He later relocated to Berbety region in western Central African Republic.

“When the conflict started, I made my mind to come back to Nigeria but my first wife who hails from CAR refused to follow me to Nigeria,” he said.

Diminishing hope for Cancer patients Continues from page 48

these machines should break down because there will be no alternative for those patients.”

Also speaking to VF, Consultant Paediatric Oncologist, at LUTH, Prof.

Edamisan Temiye, said allowing the cancer machine to break down was “like telling the patient that you will likely die”. Temiye who also confirmed that currently the machine at LUTH was down, blamed it on epileptic power supply. He warned that the development spells doom for cancer patients as delay in cancer treatment would cause the cancer to spread faster than imagined.

“There is no reason each of those teaching hospitals should not have two radiotherapy machines so that if one breaks down, another one will be working while the other one is being repaired. The pressure on the machines is much. Go to the oncology department you will know that these things are real. It was during the Obasanjo administration that about eight linear accelerators were procured to the eight teaching hospitals and that is the best we have now.

Massive economic cost “Nobody has supplied any since then; this is over eight years now. So we need to have more. Each of those hospitals needs another accelerator to support them and another form of machine like Cobalt 60 and that is when we will be effective.”

He said when a patient is being given radiotherapy, it would take some weeks. “It is not a one shot thing. You are going to follow them up. They may have complications that you will need to treat and you have to dislodge them from where they are. When they are on treatment another family member will have to stay with them. The economic cost is massive. So we still need to equip the hospitals well.

“Right now it is only two that are working. I am afraid to put my children under EKO Hospital’s machine because it is really old. If these hospitals have more than one machine, the public will not know that any has broken down. It is sad.

The machines are expensive.

But if our government is serious they can work with the International Atomic Agency, they support developing countries to acquire these machines to purchase the machines. It is time Nigerians take their future in their hands.

Nigerians prefer to contribute for a burial ceremony than to donate to save a living person,” he submitted.

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VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015 — 50

Dutch board says Russian-made missile downed MH17 ALAYSIAN Air M lines Flight MH17 crashed as a result of a Russian-made Buk missile, the Dutch Safety Board says.

The missile hit the front left of the plane causing other parts to break off, it said in a final report into the July 2014 disaster, which killed 298 people.

The West and Ukraine say Russian-backed rebels brought down the Boeing 777, but Russia blames Ukrainian forces.

The report does not say who fired the missile, but says airspace over eastern Ukraine should have been closed.

•This animation picture released by the Dutch Safety Board yesterday, depicts how a Buk missile brought MH-17 down over pro-Russian Eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 onboard.

The plane - flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur - crashed at the height of the conflict between government troops and

IRAN: Parliament passes bill approving nuclear deal

I

RAN’S parliament has passed a bill supporting a nuclear deal with world powers, amounting to a victory for the government over conservative opponents of the agreement and clearing the way for it to be implemented.

Many legislators strongly opposed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that President Hassan Rouhani’s government reached with world powers on July 14, and Tuesday’s vote removes an obstacle to putting the agreement into practice.

“Members of parliament made a well-considered

decision today showing they have a good understanding of the country’s situation,” Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, government spokesman, said in a televised news conference after the vote.

Saudi deal dropped as Briton faces lashes

T

HE British govern ment has withdrawn a bid for a contract with the Saudi justice system amid a row over the threatened thrashing of a British grandfather.

The family of pensioner Karl Andree have been pleading with the UK Gov-

China cabin crew ‘ritual’ sparks online outrage

P

HOTOS of female cabin crew lying in the overhead luggage compartments on board a Chinese airline have gone viral on social media.

The images, which were uploaded on the popular chat app WeChat, have been called bullying by netizens.

The post said cabin crew were “forced into lockers by security staff upon completing 30 to 50 hours of service” as part of an “industry ritual”.

Kunming Airlines has issued a statement saying it was investigating the matter.

The company said the incident occurred after the

crew had completed their duties and that the safety of the flight was not affected.

HE Afghan Taliban say that they have withdrawn from the strategic city of Kunduz after having “achieved their objectives”.

The Taliban overran the city last month and controlled it for three days, before being pushed out

ernment to intervene because they fear the punishment could kill him.

Mr Andree, 74, was sentenced to 12 months in jail by a Sharia court after police found home-made wine in the boot of his car in Jeddah last year.

Alcohol is banned under Islamic law in Saudi Arabia where Mr Andree has lived for the past 25 years.

Mr Andree has now served his sentence but has been held in jail for a further two months - and now faces a public flogging.

Clinton gears up for Democratic debate

H

ILLARY Clinton is preparing for the first Democratic presidential debate, seeking to mix her mastery of policy with a more personal touch.

For chief rival Bernie Sanders, the debate is a chance to reach a broader audience after months of appealing to the party’s most liberal voters.

But unlike recent Republican debates, the outing is expected to be more substance than slugfest.

Analysts expect a heavy

Afghan Taliban admit Kunduz withdrawal

T

the pro-Russian separatists.

Among the victims were 196 Dutch nationals and 10 Britons The report says the three crew members in the cockpit were killed by the missile explosion instantly.

However, it adds, it was unclear at which point the other occupants died, and the possibility of some remaining conscious for some time during the oneand-a-half minutes it took for the plane to go down could not be ruled out.

of key areas.

The offensive was the first time the Taliban had taken a city since being ousted from power in 2001. Also on Tuesday, a rocket allegedly launched by the Taliban killed two people in southern Ghazni province.

focus on economic issues like income inequality.

The three other, mostly unknown, candidates former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, former Virginia Senator Jim Webb and former Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chafee - will be seeking a standout moment after months of languishing in the polls.

Paris gunman received orders by email

A

MEDY Coulibaly, the Paris gunman who murdered five people in two attacks in January, was sent instructions on the day of his first shooting, reports say.

An email was found on his computer ordering him to “work alone” and “start again several times”.

BURKINA FASO: Thomas Sankara’s remains riddled with bullets N autopsy shows A the supposed remains of Burkina Faso’s former leader Thomas Sankara are “riddled with bullets”, his family’s lawyer says.

The family is still waiting for DNA results to confirm the body’s identity.

Seen as Africa’s Che Guevara, the anti-imperialist revolutionary was hastily buried in a 1987 coup.

Permission for an exhumation was denied during the 27-year rule of his successor Blaise Compaore, who was ousted in an uprising last year.

Mr Compaore has always denied being in-

•Sankara, who adopted radical left-wing policies, is still popular in many parts of Africa

volved in the ex-leader’s killing, insisting that the “facts are known” and he has “nothing to hide”.

While he was in office, a Burkina Faso court blocked a request by Mr

Sankara’s family for his remains to be exhumed.

That changed last year when a transitional government came in after street protests.

HAJJ STAMPEDE: Facebook page set up to find missing Malians

A

Malian woman has set up a Facebook page to help find some 200 people from Mali who are still missing after last month’s Hajj pilgrimage crush.

Nabou Traore told the BBC that not enough was being done to find the missing Malians in Saudi Arabia.

People have been sharing their pictures of relatives on the social media

page whom they have not heard from, as well as unidentified people in hospital.

Officials have confirmed that 60 Malian pilgrims died in the stampede.

The Saudi authorities say 769 people died in the crush, although officials from the nations whose citizens died say the true figure is 1,480.

Ms Traore, who is a

GUINEA: EU monitors okay conduct of presidential poll

BY PRECIOUS UBANI

with agency reports

G

UINEA’S presidential election held last Sunday was valid but there were severe logistical difficulties, according to EU election observers.

This comes after opposition called the vote fraudulent and demanded a re-run. They also threatened to protest, something the observers urged against.

The final result is expected in the next few days.

It was the country’s second democratic presidential election since it gained independence from France in 1958.

The EU’s chief observer, Frank Engel, said he hoped Guineans remem-

ber this as a “milestone” in their “young democratic institutions”.

But he also said there were many shortcomings, including problems with voter registration.

Nigeria’s Obioma likely to win Man Booker prize

A

NIGERIAN, Chig ozie Obioma is among those short listed for the 2015 Man Booker Prize for his novel: The Fishermen.

The winner of the Man Booker Prize is set to be announced with Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life the bookies’ favourite to take the £50,000 prize.

Yanagihara’s novel, the story of four college friends seeking fame and fortune in New York, is tipped to win by bookmakers William Hill

Lake Chad’s swampy borderlands ‘war zone’— UN

T

Malian based in France, decided to set up the page Les Maliens de La Bousculade de Mina (Malians of the Mina crush) after noticing several posts on her own Facebook page about the stampede.

She tried to search online about Malians caught up in the tragedy, but there were no results.

“I thought then there is a need to do something, for if I had a family member missing in that stampede, to find them would have been very complicated,” she told BBC Afrique.

“So I gathered all the photos on my Facebook account, and I have asked all my contacts that lost people to centralise photos in the group.''

HE Islamist guerrillas of Boko Haram have made the swamplands of Lake Chad, where the borders of Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria meet, into a “war zone”, the United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday.

About 60,000 people in the area have had to leave their homes, many of them evacuated from Lake Chad’s islands, because of the possibility of attacks, the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said.

•Obioma and Coral.

It is the second year the prize is open to all authors writing in English, regardless of nationality.

The winner will be announced at London’s Guildhall.

Victory for either Yanagihara or Tyler would see the Man Booker have its first American winner.

Marlon James is the first Jamaican-born author to be shortlisted for the prize. William Hill said his novel, which explores the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in the late 1970s, had moved up from fifth favourite to second favourite.

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52 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

Neymar: Ballon d’Or reserved Ronaldo: I’m not satisfied for Messi R N EYMAR would be delighted to make the top three of the Ballon d’Or this year but insists the main award is ‘ reserved’ for Lionel Messi.

Having helped Barcelona to the treble last season, the pair are both major contenders to scoop the prize currently held

by Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo but Messi is the clear favourite.

While Brazil international Neymar is desperate to be named in the top three, he is certain Messi will come out on top.

‘Leo is the favourite,’ Neymar told Mundo Deportivo. ‘This year, the Ballon d’Or is reserved for Messi, the best player in the world has already been named. For everything he’s done, Leo deserves it,’ ‘I hope to grow playing alongside Messi. He’s the best and an idol for me. And if I learn a lot then maybe one day I can win.

‘Of course I want to be in the top three, that would be great for me.’

•Neymar

Cisse arrested over sex tape F

ORMER Premier

•Cisse

Ferguson backs Man U to win title

F

ORMER Manches ter United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has talked up the club’s chances of winning a first Premier League crown since he left in 2013.

“It’s that kind of league, anyone can win it now.

Leicester are the most consistent — they’ve only lost one game. If we get to New Year up near the top, we’ll have a good chance,” Ferguson told ESPN. “[Van Gaal has] certainly made a lot of changes

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and he’s bought (six) new players this year and, I think, five or six new players the year before. That takes time and it’s not easy.

Coming to Manchester United, you do need time.

In my time, there was maybe Dwight Yorke who gave an immediate response — he was fantastic from day one. They are not always like that; he was an exception. It normally takes some time, particularly if they come from abroad, to settle in.”

League star Djibril Cisse was yesterday arrested over a plot to blackmail France international MathieuValbuenaoverasex tape.

Cisse, 34, is one of four men being held by judicial police in France.

‘We can confirm that he is being questioned over his role in this affair,’ said a source working for investigators in Versailles, west of Paris.

The former Liverpool, Sunderland, and Queens Park Rangersstrikerissaidtohave been part of a plot to extort money from Valbuena. The arrests took place in the Bouches-du-Rhone and Oise departments.

Valbuena, the 31-year-old Lyon midfielder who has been linked with a number ofPremierLeagueclubs,was asked for money in return for the tape .

EAL Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo wants more individual and team trophies after picking up his fourth Golden Boot award.

Ronaldo was presented with the prize at a ceremony in Madrid after ending last season as Europe’s highest scorer, with the Portuguese ambassador, Florentino Perez, Rafa Benitez, his teammates and some fans present.

“I want to thank everyone who has come here.

This is a beautiful moment in my sporting life.

To receive my fourth Golden Boot is an honour and a privilege,” he said, AS reports.

“This trophy is very important to me and I have to thank my teammates and all the people who have helped me. It’s a special moment.

“I’m not satisfied. I want more. I want the fifth and sixth [Golden Boots] if possible. I know it’s difficult.

“I want to win the League, the Champions League and if possible the Copa del Rey. We’ll see each other again, I hope, next year.”

•Ronaldo

SNEPCo Junior Tennis:

Almajiri Boys make impressive start

T

HREE Fulani kids, nicknamed the “almajiri boys” playing their first tournament surprised observers with victories in their opening round robin matches at the ongoing SNEPCo Junior Tennis Championship taking place at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club.

Suleiman Ibrahim, playing in the 12 and under category beat Ojoye Qurwiyu 6-1 while Aliyu Sanni beat Usman Kushimo from Ogun State 6-2.

Two brothers, Saminu Abubarkar and Aliyu Abubarkar won their opening matches in the 14s and 12s respectively.

Adaeze Megbu of Delta-State returns the ball.

Chess 4 change hits the ground running

BY JACOB AJOM

F

ROM next week, students from 13 secondary schools from both Lagos Island and the mainland will begin the second edition of Price Waterhouse Coopers’ sponsored chess

tournament, known as Chess 4 Change.

According to the organisers, Mediavision, the event which will last for four months will involve numerous activities including organising special chess lessons for participating schools,

during which they will be taught the basics of the sport and prepare them for the tournament.

A representative of Mediavision said at a media briefing in Lagos yesterday that “the tournament will last for four months with schools

competing among themselves and some will be eliminated along the way. Outstanding schools and students come together for the Grand Slam.”

He said in last year ’s tournament, outstanding schools and students won prizes and equipment.

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015 — 55

Gotv Boxing: Ekpo dares Burkinabe foe

BY BISOLA OLOGUNDE

T

HE 4th edition of Gotv boxing night will hold on the 25th October at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium Lagos.

It is the fourth in the series. Like in the previous edition, the best boxer on the night will go home with the N1million star prize.

•Ekpo

2018 World Cup results Madagascar Burundi Namibia Sierra Leone Niger Guinea-Bissau Lesotho Mauritania

2 2 2 2 4 1 1 4

CAR Seychelles Gambia Chad Somalia Liberia Comoros South Sudan

2 0 1 1 0 3 1 0

Ikhana Continues from BP tight. Yes, we have a five-point lead at the top but there are still five matches to go, and other teams are in the race too. You know it is always difficult when we near the end of the season as it is now because even the struggling teams will not be afraid to play their all.

“Yes we are in the driving seat but the title has not been won, and we know that and will not let down our guard just yet because we still have five tough games to play,” Ikhana said.

The Peoples Elephant claimed their 17th win of the season on Sunday when they defeated 3SC 2-1 through goals from Musa Najare and Chinedu Udoji, sandwiched by Ibrahim Ajani’s goal for the Ibadan club.

The two-time Caf Champions League winners top the Nigerian league standings with 61 points but have the chasing pack of Wolves, Wikki Tourists, Giwa FC and Sunshine Stars in that order hot on their heels.

Siasia

Continues from BP

The coach also regretted that efforts made by the NFF to secure the release of foreign based junior internationals like Manchester City forward, Kelechi Iheanacho and Liverpool new signing, Taiwo Awoniyi have not yielded results, even as he stated that the door was still open for them to come and fight for shirts any time they are released.

However, the former international revealed that his recent trip to Belgium yielded fruits as most of the clubs have requested to be intimated with the timetable of the team so as to know when to release their players.

“I must admit that the qualification is threatened because when you have only 10 C M Y K

players in camp out of 30 invited is not a good development. We are in October and before you know it the tournament will begin, so I want to, once again, appeal to the clubs to release these players so that we can begin to perfect our techniques.”

On whether releasing the players with about five games to the end of the Glo Premier League will not affect the teams, Siasia assured that the clubs will not be affected adversely because according to the arrangement, every weekend they will be released to rejoin their respective teams for league matches.

Nigeria is grouped with Mali, Egypt and Algeria in the African Youth Championship (AYC) which will also serve as the Olympics qualifier.

At a media briefing in Lagos yesterday at the Brai Ayanote boxing complex, Chief Executive Officer of Flykite Productions, Jenkins Alumona expressed delight at the progress made so far in the promotion of the Gotv Boxing Night.

Alumona however stated that more sponsors were still needed to boost the event and complement what Gotv was doing.

He also called on spectators to turn out in their numbers to watch the best of Nigerian boxing as some exciting bouts have been put in place. He assured of adequate security.

The main bout of the night will see the West African middle weight champion, Isaac Ekpo staking his pride against challenger, Jules Kabore of Burkina Faso in a non-title contest.

It is a six-bout bill which will open with a six-round Welter Weight challenge contest between Jamiu Olabode and Pelumi Sodubi.

Another light welter weight challenge comes next as Stanley Eribo takes on Isiaka Yusuf.

The third bout of the night will feature an 8round National Light Welter Weight Challenge contest between Nurudeen Fatai and Otto Joseph.

Olabisi Fijabi and Saheed Olayiwola will slug it out in another 8round National Welter Weight non-title challenge contest.

The fight between Waidi Usman and Taofik Bisuga will be the main supporting bout.

NFF friendly game against Morocco, Tunisia or Algeria in the next available FIFA window,” he said.

“That tells you how important the next AFCON qualifiers are to us. We want to make sure that the Eagles are properly prepared and have an idea of how the North Africans play.

“But in any case, coach Sunday Oliseh has already started studying the tapes of the Egyptians and he is preparing the game plans.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015

NFF plans Morocco, Algeria friendly for Eagles T

HE Nigeria Football Federation is to open talks with Morocco,

Rio 2016: Siasia raises alarm

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

C

HIEF Coach of the national U-23 team, the Dream Team VI, Samson Siasia has warned that the country runs the risk of not qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics due to the failure of most of the invited players to report to camp.

Siasia who was at the secretariat of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday ostensibly to register his frustration ahead of the African qualifier coming up in Senegal next month said of the 30 players invited, only 10 have reported to camp, a situation which makes it difficult for the team to train properly.

Continues on Page 55

Tunisia or Algeria for a friendly ahead of their crunch two-legged AFCON qualifier against Egypt in March, NFF president Amaju Pinnick has said.

Nigeria take on Egypt in March in a double header, which could well determine the fate of the Super Eagles for Gabon 2017.

Egypt lead the AFCON qualifying group with six points from two matches, two points more than second-placed Nigeria with the overall group winners guaranteed automatic qualification to 2017 AFCON. Pinnick said the NFF are determined to ensure

that the Eagles are in the right frame of mind technically and mentally against the record seven-time African champions.

“I have asked them to begin to shop for a Continues on Page 55

•Ikeme

Glo Premier League: Title race still tight – Ikhana

E

NYIMBA head coach Kadiri Ikhana has refused to be carried away with his team’s five-point lead in this season’s Glo Premier League.

THE CHASE: National U-23 star, Taiwo Awoniyi (r) rejoices with team mate during a match. Siasia says it’s been difficult getting them.

Nigeria th 5 biggest exporter of footballers in the world — Pg.28

Ikhana has said that “the race for the title remains very tight” despite guiding his men to a five-point lead at the top of the pile with five rounds of matches to conclude the campaign.

The Enyimba trainer believes that their last five matches will determine if they become champions for a record seventh time.

“To be honest the race for the title remains very Continues on Page 55

QUICK CR OSS WORD CROSS OSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

FRI DAY'S ANS WERS FRID ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Agitate (4) 4 Equality (3) 6 Ridicule (4) 9 Boring-tool (3) 10 Entire (8) 11 Smack (4) 14 Lump (3) 16 Unsuitable (5) 19 Seemed (8) 21 Spree (5) 23 Crippled (8) 24 Stratum (5) 27 Cover (3) 31 Trial (4) 33 Supplied (8) 34 Born (3) 35 Paradise (4) 36 Aye (3) 37 Otherwise (4)

DOWN 2 Implement (4) 3 Mature (4) 4 Ready (8) 5 Stagger (4) 6 Stone-worker (5) 7 Bird (3) 8 Clutch (5) 12 Waterway (5) 13 Sprig (5) 14 Fighting (3) 15 Satan (5) 17 Fish (5) 18 Deal (5) 20 Wishful (8) 22 Youth (3) 25 Correct (5) 26 Consumed (5) 28 Nimble (4) 29 Blaze (4) 30 Minus (4) 32 Observe (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Proper 5, Wither 8, Admitted 9, Page 10, Mob 12, Sober 15, Err 17, Ash 18, Orb 19, |Tot 20, Assay 21, Ban 22, Oar 23, Ace 24, Run 26, Petal 29, Due 33, Pier 34, Terrific 35, Sniper 36, Wander.

DOWN: 2, Radio 3, Pail 4, Ratio 5, Wedge 6, Torn 7, Eager 10, Motor 11, Baton 12, Sharp 13, Beset 14, Royal 15, Ebbed 16, Range 25, Union 27, Enter 28, Arrow 30, Unite 31, Trip 32, Sign.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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